BUDGET MUST DOUBLE TO BATTLE ADDICTIONS, HEALTH WORKERS SAY

$70 Million Now Spent On Addiction, Mental Health

The double whammy of addiction and mental illness is affecting
increasing numbers of Vancouver Islanders and a hefty budget increase
is needed to meet the demand, says Ken Moselle, Vancouver Island
Health Authority Mental Health and Addiction Services standards manager.

The VIHA budget of more than $70 million a year for addiction and
mental health needs to be at least doubled to ensure those with
concurrent disorders receive integrated treatment, said Moselle, as
more than 240 Vancouver Island mental health and addiction workers
gathered in Victoria yesterday for a conference.

"People who work in the field say [the double diagnosis] is the
expectation, not the exception, it's so prevalent," he said.

It is estimated that up to 50 or 60 per cent of those seeking
treatment for either addiction or mental health have dual problems.
The number is higher in some at-risk communities, such as the street
population.

Addiction services were officially amalgamated with mental health in
2002, but came with "inadequate resources," Moselle said.

The foundation is in place for full integration. Following
consultations throughout Vancouver Island, Mental Health and
Addiction Services has submitted a plan with budget proposals to VIHA, he said.

The most crucial needs include more detox beds, more detox
stabilization beds -- which allow a longer stay -- and funding to
allow full integration of addiction and mental health services, Moselle said.

"We are still working on smoothing the flow from addictions to mental
health and vice versa," he said.

Vancouver Island has about 1,000 addiction and mental health workers,
including contractors. There are about 135 addiction treatment beds
on the Island, including floor mats for sobering up.

Moselle said he knows it is a tough time to be asking for a
significant budget increase and that all other health authorities are
also struggling with the problem.

But it is a problem everyone should care about, he said.

It is estimated that five to eight per cent of the population has
significant problems with substance abuse, he said.

"And about 50 per cent of families have someone who has significant
problems with substance abuse or addiction. Very few people are
spared directly or indirectly."

Mike Conroy, VIHA chief operating officer, said the chance of the
budget being doubled is not good.

"Our budget hasn't doubled and we have to get the money from
somewhere," he said.

Mental Health and Addictions Services has put together a five-year
plan and, like other VIHA health services, has identified needs for
the next fiscal year, Conroy said.

"So now we try to select where the largest health benefit will be. We
look at the competing demands."

This year's budget will be completed by April 1, but changes are made
throughout the year, he said.

Mental health and addictions are high on the priority list for
communities, VIHA and the Health Ministry, Conroy said.

"There are certainly a lot of people with addictions that have mental
health disorders and there are service needs in both those areas."