Fuerteventura professionals trained in addiction prevention thanks to the Cabildo and ESSCAN

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through the Department of Social Action and in collaboration with the Canary Islands School of Health and Social Services (ESSCAN), has concluded a specialized training program on the prevention and treatment of behavioral addictions, aimed at professionals in the health, social and socio‑health sectors of the island.

The course combined online sessions with a final in‑person day, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of emerging forms of addiction—particularly those linked to problematic use of technology, social networks and pathological gambling. Practical tools for early detection and intervention were also addressed.

During the closing ceremony, the Cabildo’s Social Action counselor, Víctor Alonso, and the ESSCAN director, José Montelongo, spoke. Alonso stressed the importance of such initiatives, stating:

“Investing in specialized training is key to anticipating new social risks and providing an adequate response to increasingly complex realities, such as digital addictions, which especially affect young and vulnerable populations.”

Montelongo highlighted the program’s comprehensive approach, which covered:

• A holistic understanding of individuals with addiction problems
• Identification of behavioral patterns
• Promotion of healthy leisure alternatives and risk‑behavior prevention
• Analysis of comorbidity between addictions and other mental‑health disorders

The teaching team comprised professionals from the Fundación Adsis ALUESA, together with psychologists Edgar Chinea and Alba Fernández, who guided participants in designing intervention models and preventive strategies tailored to today’s social context.

With this initiative, the Cabildo of Fuerteventura reinforces its commitment to continuous professional training and to improving prevention and care for emerging addictions—an issue that demands coordinated and specialized responses.