Pubdate: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 Source: Blade, The (OH) Copyright: 2000 The Blade Contact: 541 North Superior St., Toledo OH 43660 Website: http://www.toledoblade.com/ CENTER TO GET $500,000 FOR DRUG STUDY A local substance-abuse treatment center has received a five-year, $500,000 federal grant to study new ways to treat drug and alcohol abusers. Comprehensive Addiction Service Systems of Toledo is one of three Ohio drug treatment centers to receive funds from a $12 million grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Veterans Administration will coordinate the work at substance-abuse centers in Ohio. Bill Sanford, COMPASS chief executive officer, said the research would be conducted in the same way as clinical trials at medical centers. Researchers will evaluate what intervention methods are most successful. Because it's a clinical trial, those in the research program won't have to pay for their treatment. Mr. Sanford said COMPASS, at 2465 Collingwood Blvd., will get $100,000 a year and must spend it only on the research. COMPASS, with a $3 million an|nual budget, is the largest drug and alcohol treatment organization in Toledo. It has operated about 30 years and last year treated about 5,000 people. COMPASS employs about 80 full and part-time employees and operates a 40-bed inpatient center as well as an outpatient program that has room for 150 people. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake