CVO is an independent non-profit organisation for research, training and consultancy, emanated from the Faculty of Social Sciences of Utrecht University. Here, Goof van de Wijngaart (1946-2004) started conducting studies on substance use and addiction in 1979. In 1998, CVO became an independent organisation, although bonds with Utrecht University remain. We focus primarily on substance use, addiction and other mental health problems, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

Mission Statement CVO's mission statement is to collect and disseminate scientific knowledge about people on the margins of society, aiming to contribute to improvement of their social position and health.

Assumptions CVO's research, education, training and consultancy activities are founded on two important assumptions.
(i) The importance of the interaction between drug, set and setting: Problematic drug use is not exclusively the result of the drug, but of the interaction.
(ii) A reflection of the first assumption in both our qualitative and quantitative research projects we prioritise an environmental approach to data collection. Where possible we sample, interview or observe people in their natural environment, often literally by standing between them. This approach results in a better understanding of the respondents, their drug taking within the context of their day to day life. Our hope is that such a comprehensive understanding contributes to a more effective treatment and prevention.

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Management
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Richard Braam
Developmental psychologist, joined CVO in 1991.
Focal point for general and organisational matters, coordination and supervision of projects. Richard's expertise is rapid assessment and response (RAR) methodologies.
His fields of interest are:

.	Transcultural addiction problems
.	Connection between theory and good practice
.	Adaptation of RAR methodologies to different fields of practice, both domestically and internationally

Dick de Bruin
Developmental psychologist, joined CVO in 1991.
Dick's expertise is the development of quantitative measurement instruments and statistical analysis. He is a leading specialist in gambling problems and gambling policy in the Netherlands.
His fields of interest are:

.	People's development and course of life in an ecological perspective
.	Influence of the medicine, narcotic plants and substance use on people's health,well-being and development
.	Harm reduction strategies for substance use and addiction

Ab Voskamp
Psychologist, at CVO since 1999.
Focal point for financial matters, staff policy and project contracts.
Ab also works as a manager at a practice for brain damage.

Staff
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Marleen Arends researcher
Medical cultural anthropologist and addiction medicine physician, joined CVO as a researcher in 2009. During her advanced master course in medical cultural anthropology, she engaged in ethnographic research inside a prison, focusing on the relation between imprisonment and substance use problems.
Her fields of interest include:
-Implications of social and societal aspects of substance use and addiction for optimal health care and policy
-Transcultural view on the concept of addiction and substance use
-Homelessness and homelessness policy
-The combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods

Joost Breeksema researcher
Philosopher, joined CVO at 2007 as researcher. As chairman and co-founder of OPEN foundation Joost encourages social scientific studies, conferences and lectures on psychedelics. Also, he lectures international students on Dutch drug policy at the Council on International Educational Exchange and
International School for Humanities and Social Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam . Besides, he is national coordinator of the European Drug Policy Initiative in Hungary.
His fields of interest are:

.	Psychedelics and possible therapeutical and medicinal applications
.	Social and cultural meanings of substance use
.	Traditional substance use
.	The relation between scientific understandings and drug policy

Minke Dijkstra researcher
Cultural anthropologist and criminologist, joined CVO at 2008 as researcher. Currently working in the PROZE project, a peer driven intervention in social service. Besides, she works at an aid post for street prostitutes in Utrecht. Also, she is a reviewer for an addicition magazine in the Netherlands. During her study she engaged in research into (recreative) drug use among youngsters in the Netherlands and abroad.
Her fields of interest are:

.	Homelessness and homelessness policy
.	meanings of (recreative) drug use
.	discourse around drug use and drug policy
.	street prostitution and related problems

Chantal Gooijer trainee
Student in sociology, working at CVO since 2010. She is executive researcher in the PROZE project, a peer driven intervention in social service. She is writing her master thesis about the project: a qualitative research into meaning and influence of incentives on solidarity among companions in misfortune. Besides, she works at Impuls as mediator for the former homeless persons in Amsterdam.
Her fields of interest are:

.	Homelessness and homelessness policy
.	Peer education among vulnerable populations
.	Fieldwork for qualitative scientific research

Rita Larionenko
Financial expert, at CVO since 2000. Office manager and secretary.

Christel Meijerman senior researcher
Management and policy expert, at CVO since 2001. Researcher and research coordinator.
Christel's expertise is training and consultancy on quality management in addiction care. She is furthermore specialized in planning and supervision of field based data collection.
Her fields of interests are:

.	Policy oriented scientific research
.	Gambling and gambling policy
.	Homelessness and homelessness policy

Hans Verbraeck senior researcher
Cultural anthropologist, joined CVO in 1996.
Focal point for students who want to have their training or write their thesis at CVO.
Hans' expertise include development of fieldwork protocols and qualitative research instruments. He is specialized in national and international drug policy.
His fields of interests are:

.	The dynamics between drug trade and drug enforcement
.	Social and cultural aspects of compulsive behaviour
.	Social cohesion and social exclusion

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Supervisory Board
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Miriam Fris
Educationalist, commissioner of the CVO Supervisory Board since 2006. From 1994 till 2001 she worked at Utrecht University and CVO as staff member, researcher, trainer and teacher specialized in youth problems, gambling problems and self care. Currently, she is primary school teacher and remedial teacher. Besides, she recieves training for Integrative Child Therapy at the Dutch Academy for Psychotherapy.
Her fields of interest are:

.	Children, adolescents and socio-emotional problems
.	Education and school careers
.	Gambling and gambling problems
.	Care and self help

Chris Loth
Nursing scientist, commissioner of the CVO Supervisory Board since 2007. Her expertise is practice-based research in addiction care. Chris is manager and director of her company LOTH nursing. She teaches at several (nursing) academies and is editor of a series of books about addiction nursing. In 2005, the guideline Opiate Maintainance Treatment (OMT) is developed under her direction. The OMT is a topic of her dissertation Chris finished in 2008.
Her fields of interest are:

.	Scientific research on (addiction) nursing
.	Double diagnostics and recovery
.	Chronical drug addicts and their perspectives
.	Development of innovations in treatment by action research

Hans C. Ossebaard
Clinical en developmental psychologist, commissioner of the CVO Supervisory Board since 2006. Hans' expertise is knowledge management. From 1992 till 1998, he worked at CVO as researcher and teacher. Besides, he worked as substance use and addiction consultant for Utrecht University and the European Union, Also, he worked for Jellinek Addiction Care, Trimbos National Institute on Mental Health and Addiction and the Ministry of Health. Since 2005, Hans works as product manager of the health portal kiesBeter.nl of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, since 2007, combined with research into consumer health informatics.
His fields of interest are:

.	The meaning of the internet for the provision of information
.	The meanings of substance use
.	The knowledge society

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Advisory Board
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Prof. dr. T.F.M. ter Bogt
professor occupying the endowed chair Pop music and Youth Cultures. Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University.

Drs. C. Goos
former Regional Adviser Substance Abuse and director Department Health Promotion and Disease Prevention of the Eropean Regional Bureau of the World Health Organisation. Currently ehrenamtlicher Berater at the Anton Proksch Institut in Vienna and independent public health consultant.

Prof. dr. H. ’t Hart
emeritus professor, Department Methodology and Statistics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University.

Dr. J. Morenc
staff member Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht University.

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