PAYING FOR ADDICTIONS

It's jarring to hear that despite all the concern over addictions and
mental health issues and their damaging effects on our communities,
the Vancouver Island Health Authority is providing only half the
needed services.

That observation didn't come from outside. Like last year's warning of
inadequate mental-health services, it came from a senior VIHA employee.

This time it was the authority's mental health and addiction services
standards manager. He told a conference that VIHA's $70-million budget
needs to be doubled to provide the treatment and support needed.

It's a staggering number, equal to the authority's entire budget
increase for the coming year.

But the consequences of not providing the services are also staggering
- -- for the individuals and their families, but also for our
communities.

It's not just the obvious street problems. Police say 90 per cent of
property crimes in Victoria are driven by addiction. Our streets,
courts, jails and hospitals are filled with people who need a
different kind of care.

The health authority -- responsible for addiction and mental-health
services -- notes its funding is limited. It points to increases in
services over the past few years and promises improvements in the future.

But no one, from VIHA or the government, would argue that the response
has been adequate. There are not enough detox or treatment services
for the addicted anywhere on the Island. Since 2003, VIHA has
increased the available drug treatment spaces of all kinds to 139 from
113. Only 26 more spots as addiction problems have spiked sharply upward.

Leave aside debate about the number of spaces or changing approaches
to addictions and their treatment.

Look at the reality in our communities, on our streets. The approach
to addictions has been ineffective. And part of the problem is massive
underfunding.

The health authority must work with the money the government provides,
which has been inadequate.

The government's efforts to limit health spending increasingly appear
misdirected. Money is not being "saved" by underfunding services if
the effect is simply to shift the costs on to municipal governments,
other ministries or the businesses and individuals that must cope with
the consequences.

And the public interest is not served if VIHA directors persist in
defending their efforts, rather than reporting frankly on how far they
are falling short of delivering the services that are needed.