Pubdate: Tue, 30 Jan 2007
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2007 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Andy Lou Somers
Note: Andy Lou Somers is a parent and a member of the Summerside-area group
lobbying for a long-term youth addiction treatment program and facility.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

LONG-TERM CARE FOR OUR ADDICTED YOUTH

This is in response to the editorial 'Appropriate treatment for 
addicted youth/Government may need a more persuasive case before 
changing its plans' (The Guardian, Jan. 25, 2007).

What's perceived to be a serious problem in our community, as quoted 
by the editor, is a serious problem in our community.

I am a member of the Summerside-area group lobbying the provincial 
government for the long-term youth addiction treatment program and 
facility here on P.E.I. We have been working on this issue for the 
past five years with the help and support of our adviser and mentor 
Dr. Sheldon R. Cameron. His expertise in the addictions field has 
helped hundreds of addicts to recover, he has helped hundreds of 
families with coping skills, and he has saved many, many lives (one 
of those lives was my son's). He has won many local and national 
awards over the years for his work in addictions.

Our group has been researching and compiling data over the past few 
years on addictions and treatment programs, sending committee members 
to workshops and conferences. Some have gone to other areas and 
researched their programs. We have listened to recovered addicts who 
have been to successful treatment programs. Many of us have lived 
through the process as a parent or family member of an active addict 
or as a recovered addict. Throughout this process we have realized 
that treatment for drug addiction on P.E.I. needs to be updated and 
lengthened for successful recovery, especially where our youth are concerned.

Over the past three years, we have made our presentations to the 
minister of Health, the premier and caucus, our local MLA and policy 
advisers. We have been to the legislature, met with the Opposition, 
met with Health Canada officials, national crime prevention and 
public safety officials, doctors, pharmacists and health-care 
providers. We have presented our case, facts, data, successful 
programs, etc. to all the decision-makers. We have monitored court 
cases and researched court-ordered treatment programs. We would be 
quite safe in saying that the recent rash of crimes, home invasions 
and armed robberies on P.E.I. would be attributed to addicts needing 
their drugs, money to pay for their drugs and/or to pay a drug debt 
before their drug dealer threatens the addict or a member of the 
addict's family.

We have youth that are addicted and out of control. Their only daily 
focus is where and how they can get their next fix. Making a decision 
to enter treatment is not probable. In an ideal world, voluntarily 
committing oneself for treatment is the answer. This is not an ideal 
world. For a parent looking at a child out of control and a threat to 
his/herself and others, involuntary admission is like the last hope 
to save your child. Getting the youth detoxed and cleaned up long 
enough to be able to make a better decision is a hope and chance. 
Odds are that this youth will end up in our justice system or dead if 
we as parents do not try every option that can be available.

The western provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and 
Manitoba) have all worked on implementing new policies that will 
allow parents to involuntarily commit their youth. Last week on CBC 
Charlottetown, the director of Manitoba Mental Health and Addictions 
was interviewed and stated that Manitoba recently implemented this 
policy with good success. She went on to say that these youth that 
are severely addicted are not able to make a choice to help 
themselves - they are out of control. During the time that they are 
involuntarily committed, they have a team of professionals working 
with the addict and hopefully helping them to make the choice of 
remaining in treatment for the long term.

Health Canada statistics (2003) state that the cost to the 
health-care system per year of an untreated addict is $44,600. This 
does not factor in the costs to the justice system (court costs, 
incarceration, etc.). If the stats provided by our federal government 
are correct, common sense would tell us that the untreated addict is 
costing us mega dollars and more than if we were treating them appropriately.

It would be impossible to get accurate stats on how many youth are 
addicted on P.E.I. today, but using the stats provided by our federal 
government, it would mean that if 100 (very low guess) youth were 
addicted, it would be costing us $4,460,000 this year. We presently 
have two beds for youth at Mount Herbert and a chance to go off 
- -Island for treatment at Portage, N.B., or Choices, N.S., if they 
have an opening. They have two beds each reserved for Island youth.

If sent to Mount Herbert for treatment the stay is usually three to 
seven days and they are then released back to the same environment 
they had just come from. This gives a drug addict just long enough to 
crave for more. Many families are at wits' end when the youth is 
released back to the home as they have not been in treatment long 
enough to effectively make a change. The cycle continues. The family 
should be involved and having a treatment program here makes it a lot 
easier for that involvement.

When taking all factors into consideration, having a long-term 
treatment facility for youth on P.E.I. would help save dollars in 
health care, in the justice system and in policing. It would help in 
making our communities healthier and safer and bring back a quality 
of family life to those that are suffering and want help. It would 
also save lives.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman