LONG-TERM CARE FOR OUR ADDICTED YOUTH

This is in response to the editorial 'Appropriate treatment for
addicted youth/Government may need a more persuasive case before
changing its plans' (The Guardian, Jan. 25, 2007).

What's perceived to be a serious problem in our community, as quoted
by the editor, is a serious problem in our community.

I am a member of the Summerside-area group lobbying the provincial
government for the long-term youth addiction treatment program and
facility here on P.E.I. We have been working on this issue for the
past five years with the help and support of our adviser and mentor
Dr. Sheldon R. Cameron. His expertise in the addictions field has
helped hundreds of addicts to recover, he has helped hundreds of
families with coping skills, and he has saved many, many lives (one
of those lives was my son's). He has won many local and national
awards over the years for his work in addictions.

Our group has been researching and compiling data over the past few
years on addictions and treatment programs, sending committee members
to workshops and conferences. Some have gone to other areas and
researched their programs. We have listened to recovered addicts who
have been to successful treatment programs. Many of us have lived
through the process as a parent or family member of an active addict
or as a recovered addict. Throughout this process we have realized
that treatment for drug addiction on P.E.I. needs to be updated and
lengthened for successful recovery, especially where our youth are concerned.

Over the past three years, we have made our presentations to the
minister of Health, the premier and caucus, our local MLA and policy
advisers. We have been to the legislature, met with the Opposition,
met with Health Canada officials, national crime prevention and
public safety officials, doctors, pharmacists and health-care
providers. We have presented our case, facts, data, successful
programs, etc. to all the decision-makers. We have monitored court
cases and researched court-ordered treatment programs. We would be
quite safe in saying that the recent rash of crimes, home invasions
and armed robberies on P.E.I. would be attributed to addicts needing
their drugs, money to pay for their drugs and/or to pay a drug debt
before their drug dealer threatens the addict or a member of the
addict's family.

We have youth that are addicted and out of control. Their only daily
focus is where and how they can get their next fix. Making a decision
to enter treatment is not probable. In an ideal world, voluntarily
committing oneself for treatment is the answer. This is not an ideal
world. For a parent looking at a child out of control and a threat to
his/herself and others, involuntary admission is like the last hope
to save your child. Getting the youth detoxed and cleaned up long
enough to be able to make a better decision is a hope and chance.
Odds are that this youth will end up in our justice system or dead if
we as parents do not try every option that can be available.

The western provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and
Manitoba) have all worked on implementing new policies that will
allow parents to involuntarily commit their youth. Last week on CBC
Charlottetown, the director of Manitoba Mental Health and Addictions
was interviewed and stated that Manitoba recently implemented this
policy with good success. She went on to say that these youth that
are severely addicted are not able to make a choice to help
themselves - they are out of control. During the time that they are
involuntarily committed, they have a team of professionals working
with the addict and hopefully helping them to make the choice of
remaining in treatment for the long term.

Health Canada statistics (2003) state that the cost to the
health-care system per year of an untreated addict is $44,600. This
does not factor in the costs to the justice system (court costs,
incarceration, etc.). If the stats provided by our federal government
are correct, common sense would tell us that the untreated addict is
costing us mega dollars and more than if we were treating them appropriately.

It would be impossible to get accurate stats on how many youth are
addicted on P.E.I. today, but using the stats provided by our federal
government, it would mean that if 100 (very low guess) youth were
addicted, it would be costing us $4,460,000 this year. We presently
have two beds for youth at Mount Herbert and a chance to go off
- -Island for treatment at Portage, N.B., or Choices, N.S., if they
have an opening. They have two beds each reserved for Island youth.

If sent to Mount Herbert for treatment the stay is usually three to
seven days and they are then released back to the same environment
they had just come from. This gives a drug addict just long enough to
crave for more. Many families are at wits' end when the youth is
released back to the home as they have not been in treatment long
enough to effectively make a change. The cycle continues. The family
should be involved and having a treatment program here makes it a lot
easier for that involvement.

When taking all factors into consideration, having a long-term
treatment facility for youth on P.E.I. would help save dollars in
health care, in the justice system and in policing. It would help in
making our communities healthier and safer and bring back a quality
of family life to those that are suffering and want help. It would
also save lives.