SHELTER FOR YOUNG ADDICTS URGED

EDMONTON - Mayor Stephen Mandel has offered to help a group that
wants to set up a shelter for young addicts with mental disorders.

The mayor told council Tuesday there is a Capital Health facility
that possibly could be used. He offered to help set up a meeting
between shelter proponents and Capital Health.

The idea comes from the Edmonton Community Drug Strategy Task Force,
a four-year project that gave its final report to council Tuesday.

Task force chairman Gary Nelson said the shelter would provide beds
for youth from age 18 to 24. It would also offer them meals, medical
attention and detoxification, he said.

"These are people who need to be taken care of," Nelson, a teacher,
told council.

"If we can get some of these young people back onto their meds, maybe
they don't have to be breaking into my car at the mall to steal $5
out of the ashtray to get their next drug fix."

He estimated a 75-bed shelter would cost $2 million to set up and
$2.5 million a year to run.