Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 Source: Oklahoman, The (OK) Copyright: 2001 The Oklahoma Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.oklahoman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318 Author: Diane Plumberg Clay ONE-STOP PROGRAM TO FIGHT DRUG ABUSE IN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY Gov. Frank Keating and a former member of President Carter's Cabinet announced Tuesday they plan to start a substance abuse program for families in Pottawatomie County. The Safe Haven program is designed to combine several state agencies and services into one location for families dealing with substance abuse, addiction and the abuse or neglect of children. One hundred families will participate -- some voluntarily, some by court order. "For us as Oklahomans ... to be a more productive society we need to address the issue of substance abuse," Keating said during a news conference at the state Capitol. "To do less is to jettison our future." Keating and Joseph Califano, president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York, said they want to target substance abuse to help cure social ills such as teen-age pregnancy, divorce, domestic abuse and school dropouts. Califano served as secretary of health, education and welfare from 1977 to 1979. The program will combine substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, child care, literacy programs, job training, law enforcement, family courts, and foster and adoption services. The project will start Oct. 1 and will continue as long as the county, state and foundations or businesses can pay for it. Marilyn Thoms, an administrator working with the substance abuse center on the Safe Haven project, said other counties, including Cleveland, Wagoner, Stephens, Jefferson and Cotton, have similar programs. But those programs are not as complete as the Safe Haven project. She said combining services will make it easier for addicted family members to get help and achieve their goals of staying clean. She said the traditional way of offering help is too complex to be effective for many people. Califano said the next Safe Haven projects will open in Phoenix and New York City. The national center created the Safe Haven programs after a study in 1999 found that substance abuse causes or exacerbates seven out of 10 cases of child abuse or neglect. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth