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