Pubdate: Tue, 03 Jan 2006
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Contact:  http://www.pqbnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Colleen Dane, staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

LOCAL METH TASK FORCE GOES FULL CIRCLE

It was actually fall in 2004 that staff working at the  Society of
Organized Services Child, Youth and Family  Centre starting noticing
people coming in acting  differently.

Acting differently even for people who were struggling  with
addictions.

"We were seeing kids coming in doped up, and we didn't  know what it
was," says SOS executive director Kevin  Wilson.

The frontline workers for the organization were the  people who
finally began putting their finger on what  it was, 'crystal
methamphetamine'.

"They figured that's what it was and that was the new  drug of choice
for the kids," says Wilson. They decided  they had to do something
about it as a community.

With the Oceanside Community Crystal Meth Task Force  announcing last
month its wrap-up in the new year,  Wilson says they believe they've
made a difference for  those in the community affected by the drug.

"Kids that were on the stuff when we started are  working in jobs
now," says Wilson.

The idea for a task force came initially from Maple  Ridge, where a
rampant homelessness problem revealed a  deeply-rooted problem with
crystal meth. The task force  there was the first of its kind in B.C.
Oceanside took  its cue from them, focusing on three areas, including
education, treatment and enforcement.

The first meeting in June 2005, brought out volunteers  from many
different areas in the community, around  60 signing on to be a
part of the over 12  sub-committees that had been set up.

Wilson says the negative response they had been warned  would come
from a public not wanting to see or admit to  evidence of the ugly
drug in the area, never came to  be.

Buoyed by their initial success, the OCCMTF hit the  road
running.

First off the blocks was the Meth Watch program,  organized by the
Oceanside RCMP Auxiliary, which taught  local businesses about
products used in the production  of crystal meth and dangerous
combinations.

Public education was addressed through media reports,  public
presentations and a resource directory.

As the OCCMTF grew, its plans and structure did as  well. Finding that
the Maple Ridge model didn't  specifically suit their needs,
alterations were made to  streamline their work to focus on youth more
 specifically. It was the around 120 seriously-affected  young people
in Oceanside who were top on the lists to  be helped, says Wilson.

"Anyone could see these kids roaming around Parksville.  You just had
to stand still for five minutes."

Most ambitiously, Wilson says they had to find a way to  better treat
these youth aE"more recovery facilities  were identified as absolutely
necessary.

With a combined fund from the Ministry of Children and  Family
Development, Vancouver Island Health Authority,  and the SOS, two
homes will be able to support a bed  each for recovering users.

After detox, they will be able to stay in a supportive  safe harbour
bed.

The OCCMTF took other important steps as well, says  Wilson, from
starting a parent support group and an  addict support group to
opening both education-focused  nights and afternoon outreach times
for youth.

They've also organized training for volunteer outreach  work, and
police have started working with the City of  Parksville to develop a
bylaw that will deter rental  units from becoming meth production labs.

Youth education is being picked up by the local school  district
itself.

An initial 90-day process extended over six months,  says Wilson, but
he says it's been worth every moment's  time.

On Jan. 31, the OCCMTF will release a final report on  their work, and
then shift into a smaller organization  that will simply keep the
programs that have been  developed, running.

What they've proven in 2005, says Wilson, is that a  community brought
together, even under sad  circumstances, can accomplish all it needs
to.

"Just the fact that we've been able to have the  community serve
together in a way like never before,"  says Wilson. "What can you say,
what can you do but say  thank you to the community, a huge thank-you
to the  community?"
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin