Pubdate: Thu, 08 Sep 2005
Source: here (Saint John, CN NK)
Copyright: 2005, here publishing inc.
Contact:  http://www.heresj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2989
Author: Kate Wright

REHAB FACILITY ON THE WAY FOR MONCTON

Teen Challenge to open first centre in Atlantic Canada

A 25 bed facility, which will treat young men with chemical dependence, is
slated to set up outside Moncton early next year and will be the first of
its kind in the Maritimes.

Teen Challenge, an interdenominational faithbased program, has one of the
highest success rates in the world helping young people overcome drug and
alcohol addictions and will begin to set up in Memramcook later this fall.

Teen Challenge, designed to treat men ages 18 to 45, is committed to serving
the people of Atlantic Canada and has been searching for the ideal location
for their new treatment facility, says Dan Morand, director for Teen
Challenge Atlantic Canada.

"I am thrilled with the location," he says. "The peaceful surroundings will
aid in the recovery process of young men who are committed to changing their
lives. We've fallen in love with Moncton - I've never been in a city where
people have actually welcomed us. The response from individuals, businesses
and churches over the past few months has been overwhelming in favour of
Teen Challenge opening in Atlantic Canada and we look forward to building
continued relationships.

"It was time for us to come here - the thing that did it for me was losing a
few guys to overdoses and suicide. We said, 'let's go where the problem
is.'" Morand, who directed the program out of London, Ontario, saysthe group
saw the need for such a facility in Atlantic Canada.

"There are a lot of great short term programs here, but it can be a quick
fix and doesn't always work," he says. "This is a long term, 12 month
program, with a success rate of 86 per cent after five years." During those
12 months, the men follow a strict program focused on education, work,
recreation and counselling.

"We get to the heart of the matter," says Morand. "We want to help restore
relationships with loved ones and set them back on the right footing."
Morand says the need for a long term treatment facility was crucial in the
region.

"The guys out East have always touched my heart," he says. "They would come
all the way to London to go to the program and they would leave their loved
ones on the worst terms.

They're not exactly the model son, husband or father when they're coming to
see us, and it can be stressful to leave on those terms. I always respected
the fact they were willing to change their lives around." The London Teen
Challenge branch served addicts from Windsor, Ontario to St. John's,
Newfoundland, which was too large a region to cover with only one facility,
says Morand.

"We're excited because this will be the second largest facility in Canada,"
he says.

The facility carries a price tag of $372,000, which will come solely from
outside fundraising initiatives, said Morand.

"We already have over $40,000 and we just had a donation of a van," he says.
"We have no government support at all so we rely on donations." Morand says
focus remains on setting up the men's clinic, but the group has long term
plans to establish a similar women's treatment centre.

"In one word, this is hope," he says.

"(Substance abuse) is going on here and I don't need to tell Atlantic
Canadians that. It's affecting the next generation and that's why we felt
strongly about coming here." Teen Challenge operates 10 locations across
Canada and is affiliates with Teen Challenge centres in over six hundred
locations worldwide. 
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MAP posted-by: Josh