Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jul 2007
Source: Drayton Valley Western Review (CN AB)
Copyright: 2007 Bowes Publishers Limited
Contact: http://www.draytonvalleywesternreview.com/contact.php
Website: http://www.draytonvalleywesternreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/980
Author: Roszan Holmen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

FAMILIES USING MANDATORY TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR YOUTH

One year after its inception, the Protection of Children Abusing 
Drugs Act has been used by 395 families across the province.

Enacted on July 1, 2006, the act empowers parents and legal guardians 
to apply to the courts to order their 12-to-17-year olds into 
treatment for severe addictions.

While no families in the Drayton Valley area made use of the new 
legislation, AADAC area supervisor Dana Sharp-McLean said she has 
received six calls from concerned parents.

Sharp-McLean said she explains to parents the act is meant only as a 
last resort and tells them what options are available locally.

"Lots of parents tend to react out of fear and concern, but are not 
always helpful to the kid."

The judge will only grant forced confinement if the youth is a danger 
to himself or others, and all other means of treatment have been 
exhausted. Voluntary treatment is preferable, said Sharp-McLean, 
because the results are better.

The PChAD program has six protective safe houses throughout the 
province in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Picture Butte and Grand Prairie.

Youth are sent to whatever safe house has a bed available, said 
Sharp-McLean. During their confinement, which can last up to five 
days, AADAC provides supervised detoxification, assessment and 
support. The purpose, said Sharp-McLean, is to encourage the youth to 
engage in treatment voluntarily after their confinement period.

Of the 476 admissions to the program (81 youth were admitted more 
than once), 229 opted to continue treatment voluntarily.

The families also go through counselling through their local branch, 
said Sharp-McLean.

The idea isn'st to send the addicted youth away and have them return 
fixed, she explained. Often times the addictions stem from problems 
arising at home, so families also receive counselling through their 
local branch.

While there is no PChAD worker in Drayton Valley, local counsellor 
Theresa Juuti has been trained in the program and the central 
district office in Camrose has a mobile unit.

Concern about crystal meth was the driving force behind the act's 
creation, but after one year the numbers show this drug is not the 
primary addiction of youth admitted to the program.

Seventeen per cent report using crystal meth, while 98 per cent 
report addictions to alcohol, 96 per cent to marijuana, 72 per cent 
to psychoactive drugs and 56 per cent to cocaine.

These numbers mirror a local survey of junior high and high school 
kids completed in October, 2006, said Sharp-McLean.

In this survey conducted by Matthew Grant, former youth project 
co-ordinator for the Town, 3.6 per cent of students surveyed tried 
crystal meth.

"There's a misconception in this town that the problem is with the 
youth," said Sharp-McLean. Most of the clients treated at the local 
AADAC office are young adults, she said.
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