Pubdate: Thu, 07 Feb 2008
Source: News Review, The  (CN SN)
Copyright: 2008 Yorkton News Review
Contact:  http://www.yorktonnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4047
Author: Jen Antony

DRUG STRATEGY OUTLINED

Following the release of the Sunrise Health Region's 2007 Drug
Strategy Report, community meetings were held across the region to
review the report and to delve into how each community can move
forward in addressing substance abuse.

"If we look at substance abuse, it's not just a health problem or just
a problem for schools, it's a community problem," says Andrew Sedley,
Sunrise Health Promotion Coordinator.

"If we get community collaboration with communities working together
on it, we're going to be more successful. It's very important that
community is really involved in it and it's something that community
will really take leadership and ownership of it."

Two years of research in this region's communities has resulted in the
development of 11 key recommendations in addressing local substance
abuse issues. Those recommendations fall under four categories,
prevention, enforcement, harm reduction and treatment.

Given the discussion that took place at a meeting held in Yorkton on
Jan. 28. Sedley reports that Yorkton will focus on educational aspects
related to substance abuse and enhancing partnerships between
community members.

"So looking at first raising awareness in communities in local drug
issues and the root causes... What we've found is that the clients
today are a lot different than they were 10-15 years ago. There's a
lot higher needs, bigger issues...

"What we heard in going to communities in the past, is that they'd
like more information on what are the signs, the symptoms, of using,
how to know if there's someone making drugs in the neighborhood and
that kind of stuff," says Sedley.

"What's happened in the past is addictions services has done various
evening presentations and we weren't really getting the target group
we wanted. Usually what would happen is you would get five or so
people that would come out to an evening presentation and it wasn't
the five or six people that really needed that information."

Yorkton's Drug Strategy Plan will explore new educational
opportunities such as 'lunch and learns' for employees.

"When we went to the various communities, nurses, doctors, RCMP
officers were all saying they'd like more professional education on it
to enhance some of the work that they're already doing. So we're
looking at developing a comprehensive professional education course
that professionals can go through and get some of this education as
well."

Interactive educational programs for young people and families are
also being explored, as well as partnerships with local school divisions.

"I'm a big believer in partnering with various organizations,"
furthers Sedley, "Regina is actually in the second year of a pilot
project right now with Regina public schools."

The Regina Drug Strategy has seen curriculum implemented in Regina's
public schools that integrates drug abuse prevention and life skills
through all ages of students.

"It goes beyond the health classes that say don't do drugs, this is
what it'll do to your body... instead it focuses on communication
skills, resistant, refusal skills, positive relationships, all those
sorts of things that would maybe prevent or help out if someone's in
that position for a young person."

Sedley rationalizes, "If they're in their second year of a pilot
project and they find it successful and it's something that is offered
provincially, why not partner local with our local school divisions to
have something like that included as well?"

Along with working on enhancing partnerships with a host of
organizations like SIGN, the RCMP and the Yorkton Tribal Council, the
strategy will address the relationship between adults and youth.

"There was disconnect between adults and young people in the community
and (we're) looking at how that can be improved." says Sedley.

"There's been a switch in thinking which I think is really great, the
fact that we're now getting young people's input on decisions and
programs and plans. What's happened a lot in the past I think, as
adults, we've said this is what's going to work for young people
without really consulting them. By getting young people's input, it's
going to be more successful. What we hope is that we have young people
involved regularly on the steering committee for this drug strategy so
that we have adults and youth interacting and working together."

By asking young people throughout the region what they see as
substance abuse issues in their community, various developments have
taken place in Yorkton. A late night swim program, glow bowling and
Friday night youth music nights are all indication of the progress
that has been made says Sedley.

"When we worked with the young people, what they said is not everyone
is into sports so we're looking at what else can we provide in the
community other than sports.

"There has been a recreational therapist who has been hired... looking
at what else can be done to improve some of the programming," says
Sedley.

"(We've been) enhancing partnership between community members, both
adults and youth to improve after school, evening and late evening
programs within the community..."

As community members and organizations continue to work on and enhance
their areas, Sedley hopes the plan will achieve a state where the
whole community benefits from it.

"I hope the overall outcome is that there's a decreased number in all
the substance abuse cases that are happening and some of the harm that
they are causing in the community but I also hope that it's a
community where adults and young people are working more closely
together on moving forward."
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MAP posted-by: Derek