MOOSE JAW DRUG STRATEGY HAS NEW CO-ORDINATOR

Counselling middle school students affected by substance abuse led
Greg Veillard to his new position as co-ordinator of the Moose Jaw
Drug Strategy.

Veillard, a teacher and counsellor for 30 years at public schools in
Moose Jaw and Craik, replaces former co-ordinator Kristin Earnst,
who has gone on to work at probation services full-time.

"I had a general interest in addictions and drugs and alcohol issues
over the years," said Veillard. "This opportunity came up and it
looked rather interesting."

Veillard retired last June from the Prairie South School Division
after spending the majority of his career working with students in
Grades 6 to 8.

"I worked at all the public schools on a weekly basis," he said.
"There were some (students) that had addictions issues and -
probably more frequently - there were kids that age affected by drug
and alcohol addiction in their family lives."

As drug strategy co-ordinator, Veillard will work with the MJDS's
four committees - prevention, harm reduction, healing continuum and
community justice - to co-ordinate activities in order to achieve
goals set out in the three-year plan.

"Part of my role will be to attend monthly meetings," he said. "I'll
do a little bit of research, co-ordinate the groups and keep things on track."

Some of his first work will include investigating special drug
courts - like those in Regina - with the community justice
committee, training in developmental assets for youth with the
prevention group and helping the healing continuum organize a forum
about the stigmas associated with addictions.