Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jan 2008
Source: Prince George Free Press (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.pgfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2135
Author: Arthur Williams
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

NEW HOPE FOR DRUG ADDICTS

Drug and alcohol addicts in Western Canada now have a new option to 
help them in their recovery.

Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community officially opened Monday. The 
addictions recovery community is based on a former air force base on 
Blackwater Road, 40 km southwest of Prince George.

Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt was the driving force behind 
the innovative addictions recovery community, which is based on the 
community of San Patrignano, Italy.

"It's been a leap of faith. I'm really glad it's happening," 
Mayencourt said. "There is great things happening here."

Since 1978, recovering addicts have lived and worked in San 
Patrignano. While there, they develop job skills, life skills, 
self-reliance, a sense of dignity and community, Mayencourt said.

Residents stay for three years or more - as opposed to conventional 
addictions recovery programs which last about six weeks. University 
studies have shown 72 per cent of residents who complete the program 
stay drug-free and 71 per cent end up working in the field they 
trained in there.

Currently 1,700 people live at San Patrignano, which is funded 
entirely by private donations and the profits of its own industries.

Baldy Hughes is the first recovery community of its kind in North America.

Mayencourt raised the private funds to open the centre and brought 
the first four residents there on Dec. 2.

"Right now we've got eight people in here and are bringing in four 
more this week," Mayencourt said. "From that point on we'll bring in 
12 people a month. We'll probably be at 150 by the end of this year."

Residents will come for a 30-day orientation, then will work with 
staff to decide if they want to sign an agreement to stay for three 
years, he said. The eventual goal is to have 500 residents living and 
working in the community.

The first residents will be working on renovating the buildings on 
site and building furniture to house future generations of residents, he said.

"We've contacted an electrician from Prince George who's going to 
take on two [residents] as apprentices," he said. "What we're looking 
to do is not have people do the work for us, but to teach people how 
to do it. What these guys need to learn is how to be self-sufficient."

Mayencourt is still working to find private donations to make the 
community work.

"We're going to need $1.5 million this year," he said. "[But] over 
the course of the next first three years we hope to earn 50 per cent 
form our industries and work."

Baldy Hughes executive director Jaret Clay said the community will be 
working with social agencies in Prince George to deliver services to 
its residents.

"Right now we're trying to focus on people who have been clean for a 
bit of time. The ideal candidate would have been through treatment, 
but wants help staying clean. Here you have a place to practice what 
you learned in treatment in a safe environment," Clay said. "Our hope 
is to eventually bring detox on site. But we would need medical 
supports in place to do that."

Peer support worker and recovery addict Robert Marwick appeared proud 
of the facility and what it's residents have achieved in a short 
period of time as he toured visiting media around the site.

"We've got quite a good deal here," Marwick said. "There used to be 
300 people on base and another 200 who came in from town. [And] it 
was just sitting here practically empty."

The site includes a well-appointed lounge, dining hall, two-lane 
bowling alley, curling rink, outdoor skating rink, ski hill, 
cross-country skiing trails, full-size gymnasium, class rooms, 
dorm-style housing, carpentry shop, mechanical garage, fire hall and 
campgrounds.

Marwick came to Baldy Hughes from a recovery centre in Vancouver.

"We were doing outreach to people in sleeping in doorways in 
Vancouver. The big cities have so many resources for people who have 
addictions." he said. "[But] the biggest thing about this place is it 
gives people a sense of purpose. Most of us had nothing to feel proud 
about when we were addicts. I like seeing people change day by day, 
that's my new high."

Resident Ken Young said the group support from his peers made the 
difference for him.

"It's great here - just what we need," Young said.

A resident who asked not to be named said hearing about Baldy Hughes 
was what made him decide to seek treatment.

"I'm the first Prince George resident that was brought out here. I 
saw a documentary on San Patrignano on CBC awhile ago. I thought 
since this is based on that, I'd try it. I detoxed out here," he 
said. "I was involved in the local drug trade for 12 years. I got 
sick of being sick."

He said his parents knew he had a heroin problem for years, but 
didn't know how to help him.

"Sobriety - to be drug free. That's all our goals," he said. "I'm 
trying to get some skills to stay away from drugs."

Another resident said he has struggled to stay clean for 35 years.

"I'd been on a run for the last four years. You spend all your money, 
then you start doing things that normally you wouldn't do to keep 
your addiction going," he said. "I reached a point where I realized 
I've got to do something or end up dead or in jail."

Fifteen years ago he tried a rehab facility in New Westminister, but 
struggled to stay away from drugs.

"It was only a six-week thing. It's not a long enough period," he 
said. "[And] I'd leave the rehab and in five minutes I was down by 
the Skytrain station and could get any drugs at a real cheap price. 
You get these sudden urges, but it it's not available it passes."

For more information, contact the facility at 250-964-3136.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom