Pubdate: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 Source: Barrie Examiner (CN ON) Copyright: 2007, Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2317 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) DRUG TREATMENT CASH WON'T HELP LOCAL CLINICS Local addiction clinics won't have a shot at new drug treatment money any time soon. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced yesterday a $2 million investment in methadone treatment, but clinics here won't be seeing any of it. "We've been running a methadone clinic for years without government funding. I wish they'd put money into ours," said Greg House, executive director of Simcoe Outreach Services in Barrie. "What they (the Ministry) are doing is commendable, but the funds are aimed at recruiting doctors to prescribe treatment in places that don't have doctors or clinics. "We already have a physician here, and we also provide counselling here, which (the Ministry) isn't increasing funding for," he added. "To my knowledge, there's just no money coming for our services." Health minister George Smitherman made the announcement to improve treatment for people with opioid addictions. Of the $2 million promised, $1 million will be allocated to recruit more doctors to prescribe methadone and other treatments and to expand CAMH's role as a provincial resource providing training and professional support for nurses, counsellors and pharmacists. Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) welcomed this news. "CAMH and other treatment centres offer Methadone Maintenance Treatment programs due to the success of this type of drug treatment strategy and most importantly, demand by those in need of this service," said Judith Tompkins, executive vice-president of programs and chief of nursing practice and professional services at CAMH. Methadone maintenance has been shown to be an effective way to treat people who are challenged with opioid addictions. Research also tells us that it reduces the risk of overdose as well as the risk of HIV and other infection. It also reduces drug-offence arrests by helping people reduce their use of heroin or other opioids. "CAMH and other mental health and addiction service providers have been calling for increased funding of addiction services," said Tompkins. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman