MONEY DOESN'T SOLVE ROOT OF PROBLEMS, SAY YOUTH REHAB WORKERS

Some Worry Extra Funding Is a 'Band-Aid Solution'

While experts across Ontario applauded the McGuinty government's
recent decision to put $5.5 million in funding towards a residential
youth rehabilitation clinic in Ottawa, those on the frontlines at the
city's clinics say the province has to do more to address the issue.

"We are obviously very excited about the funding announcement. This
is no surprise because the addictions sector has been underfunded for
ages. This neglect has lead to gaps in services and people are not
getting services they need," said Mike Beauchesne, executive director
of Ottawa's Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre.

According to a 2002 study by Statistics Canada, although only 2.6 per
cent of Canadians suffered from alcohol addiction and less than one
per cent were dependent on illegal drugs, addiction was highest among
15 to 25 year olds.

Beauchesne attributes the lack of previous funding to the stigma
associated with drug use.

"There is a lot of shame and guilt that goes along with addictions.
There is a sentiment that individuals addicted are not worthy of
receiving help," he said. "It is not a sexy political issue, and it
is not going to help people win elections."

Leah Martin from the Portland Hotel Community Services Society and
advocate for Insite, the safe-injection clinic in Vancouver, applauds
the Ontario government's decision to fund the treatment centres but
says she finds other parts of the province's drug strategy, including
its focus on school-based addiction counselling, inefficient.

"Establishing addictions counsellors in high schools without
conveying a strong sense of harm reduction is just like applying
more, 'say no to drugs [strategies],' and we've been down that road
already," she said. Conor McKeating, a psychology student at Carleton
who is researching possible rehabilitation solutions for intravenous
drug users said he thinks the government is trying to apply a
quick-fix solution to a very complex issue.

"The government can't just put a band-aid solution on it. They've
really got to get to the root of the problem."

Beauchesne explained there are four pillars in dealing with
addictions issues: enforcement, harm reduction, prevention and
treatment. He suggests using the four pillars as a starting point and
using a "collaborative integrated approach" to identify the gaps in
each pillar.

Beauchesne emphasises that although some people may not care about
addicts themselves, addressing the issue of addiction has benefits
for society in general.

"At a minimum, for every dollar spent on drug treatment, we as a
community save over $5 in future expenditures," he said.

"When we talk about the investment in drug treatment, it costs a lot
upfront, but not doing so would cost even more, and that is just the
financial cost. The human cost is immeasurable."