PORTAGE IS THE PATH AWAY FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Most parents and guardians know their children well.

They know their behaviours and their temperaments, their normal
"attitudes" and their normal teenage rebellion.

Most parents and guardians will also notice when their child has a
significant change in behaviour - different friends, attitude changes,
behaviour changes, rebellion beyond the normal.

In some cases, these behaviour changes may be attributed to substance
abuse by the youth. If a parent or adult caregiver, or even a friend,
notices a child is struggling with substance abuse issues, they can
contact an organization called Portage.

The name itself is reflective of its mission: "Finding a pathway
around an obstacle in order to continue one's journey." In the case of
the youth of Portage, the obstacle is substance abuse and the pathway
is Portage.

The Portage organization originated in Montreal in 1973. Portage
Atlantic was founded in New Brunswick in 1995 to address the issue of
substance abuse and lack of treatment for youth.

Youth for Portage is defined as 14-21 years old. A recent "graduate"
of the Portage program credits her turnaround in her life to the program.

"I honestly, probably wouldn't be alive here today," she said. "I was
hating everybody. I was hating myself. I didn't like who I was any
more and I didn't want to have anything to do with people.

"My Mom told me she didn't know what to do with me any more, so she
took me for an interview with Portage."

Since then, this young lady has received her high school diploma, is
living at home and is set to begin college. Several graduates have
similar success stories of their life turning around. Even those that
do not complete the entire program often find out more about who they
are and why they are abusing.

The Portage program is a residential program - it takes the youth out
of their home and community, and away from those with whom they may be
abusing. It provides a safe environment where residents are supported
by both peers and staff.

The treatment facility is located at Cassidy Lake. A service centre is
located in Fredericton.

Over the past 10 years, 1,200 Atlantic youth have been treated at the
facility. The average program is about six to nine months in duration
and is broken into phases.

The first phase allows the youth to work on their interpersonal
relations, self knowledge, confidence and dignity. Phase two is about
the social and personal skills required to have successful
relationships. The final phase is the counselling and support required
to re-integrate with their family and community - substance free.

The client profile at the Cassidy Lake Centre is a 60 per cent male
and 40 per cent female split. Most have dropped out of school, or are
ready to do so. They have been abusers of drugs and/or alcohol for
over two years, have been alienated from their family and community
due to their behaviours, and often engage in delinquent or destructive
behaviours. Service is available in both languages. The Portage family
is a supportive community.

"Happy people, people that can handle life, don't have to use (drgs)
all the time," said graduate Haley Beer. "It's about learning how to
handle life that you are not handling."

Beer admitted it was hard to live by the rules and deal with her
issues. However, she admits that now "I felt like I used to feel when
I took drugs, only I don't come crashing down."

Programs like Portage provide youth an opportunity to change their
life before it becomes too late. Such programs reduce the burden on
the health-care and justice system by teaching youth to make the right
choices in life and maybe inspire others to make a life change as well.

Cindy Sheppard is the executive director of the Fredericton Community
Foundation. Her column profiling non-profit agencies appears Thursdays.