Pubdate: Tue, 12 Mar 2002
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Author: Jordan Bateman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

CAMPBELL VALLEY: REHAB FACILITY IN DIRE JEOPARDY

The Campbell Valley Women's Centre will close on March 30 unless a 
miracle happens, says Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White.

A south Langley facility that helps exploited young women break free 
from addiction will be closed March 30.

And Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White, who has said for months that 
one of his top priorities is to get the Campbell Valley Women's 
Centre the funding it needs to survive, is angry.

"Due to the lack of provincial and federal government support, the 
Campbell Valley Women's Centre will stop assisting our youth, yet 
money is directed to areas of much less importance," said White.

The facility, which has a full-sized gymnasium, weight room, indoor 
swimming pool, school, and studio, has housed a rehabilitation 
program since 1999.

"We work with high risk, often sexually exploited young women," said 
Terry Lee Sealy, Centre director. "We're the only residential, 
intensive program in B.C."

The Centre had been funded by federal government dollars, flowing 
through the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. That 
money dries up this month.

"No one's taking ownership," said Sealy. "Before the Liberals got 
into power, the MLAs were very supportive locally. Now, we're not 
getting a lot of support and information."

One of those Liberal MLAs-turned-Cabinet Ministers, Fort 
Langley-Aldergrove's Rich Coleman, said he is keeping an eye on the 
situation.

"All addiction services have been moved to the Ministry of Health," 
said Coleman. "We've been waiting to see what shakes down."

With the provincial government's push towards more public-private 
partnerships, it is possible that the site could be used as a 
treatment centre by another charity.

The organization could raise funds by selling spaces to Alberta, as 
the current management team does. Parents could also buy spaces for 
their children, and the B.C. government may also contract spots.

Rumours swirl that there are local groups interested in taking just 
such an approach.

The facility can house 15 women at a time. Currently, there are 12 
staff members.

"They're fully supervised," said Sealy. "We have a pretty skeleton 
staff and are working on a skeleton budget."

The staff is still optimistic that a last second miracle will be 
found. "We work with a lot of hopelessness, so staff is very used to 
dealing with that," said Sealy. "But they've seen all the changes in 
the young women we work with,so they always have a lot of hope."
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MAP posted-by: Josh