Pubdate: Mon, 03 Oct 2005
Source: Daily Herald-Tribune, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Herald-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/804
Author: Kristy Lesh, Herald-Tribune staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

AADAC SERVICES FEELING GROWTH'S PINCH

With increasing numbers of people admitting they have an addiction and 
seeking help, the pressures are being felt on local services.

Members of the community voiced their concerns to the Alberta Alcohol and 
Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) board last week.

The board was in Grande Prairie Thursday and Friday to gather feedback from 
the community and develop policies and a direction for the future.

Many community groups and schools made presentations to the board including 
the Grande Prairie Composite high school, mental health services, the 
Cool-Aid society, Grande Prairie Regional College and mental health services.

Dave Rodney, board chairman and MLA for Calgary-Lougheed, said the concerns 
being voiced are the same across the province.

"The issues here are somewhat similar to what we see in other fast-growing 
areas of the province. We have a wonderful, but terrible, situation in 
Alberta. We have amazing growth and wonderful things but there are all of 
the societal ills that come with that," he said.

He said there is a continual increased demand for AADAC services.

Rodney said as more people come to the province, there needs to be an 
increase in resources to attend to that growth.

"We need a bigger budget like everybody else so that's a great place to 
start," he said.

David Nesbitt, director of the Northern Addictions Centre, said having the 
AADAC board in Grande Prairie gave them a chance to highlight their 
facility and programs as well as identify areas of need.

"We have very high occupancy rates and one of the outcomes of that is we're 
seeing people wait longer to get into a treatment bed."

The centre has 63 beds for its variety of residential treatment programs 
and detox.

The one thing they don't want to do is turn people who are looking for help 
away.

"One of the things that is really important with addiction is timing," said 
Nesbitt. "Timing is critical because you really want to seize the 
motivation they have and see how you can work that towards some concrete 
action and planning on their part that would lead them further deal with 
their addiction."

Nesbitt said the 20 detox beds have about a 90 per cent occupancy rate but 
because of the urgency of those looking for the support, they try to 
accommodate all those looking for a bed.

"For the most part, we really work hard to accommodate people."

The centre also has outpatient programs which served about 1,300 clients 
last year.

Not only do they offer support for drug and alcohol addictions, but 
gambling as well.

Nesbitt said the centre services patients from all over the northern area 
and from a wide sector of the population.

"We have people from all avenues of society; from all workplaces where you 
can develop a serious alcohol or drug problem. These are people who are 
very competent, capable, they work hard."

One sector they are not able to fully cater to is youth. While the centre 
offers outpatient programs, they have to go to Edmonton or Calgary to 
access residential treatment.

Nesbitt said it's a service he could see being valuable to the area, but 
Grande Prairie would need another facility to accommodate youth residential 
programs.

"I think that's the direction it's going. I think it's just time."

Last year, the government put $74 million into AADAC and $4 million of that 
was set aside for youth treatment programs. Nesbitt said with more people 
coming into the province and an increased need for support, more resources 
should be directed to the programs.

"There's more demand, so whether it's outpatient services or treatment 
facilities, ultimately we need to invest in more services."
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D