YOUTH DRUG LAW NEEDS FIX: ADDLEY

REGINA (SNN) -- Recognizing that drug-addicted teens need to deal
with the root cause of their addictions has prompted the provincial
government to amend its Youth Drug Detoxification and Stabilization Act.

"We know there is a huge overlap between mental health issues and
addictions, and it is not really clear which comes first in most
cases," said Healthy Living Services Minister Graham Addley.

"At the end of the day it doesn't matter which comes first, because
you've got to treat the person, not just their symptoms. So you've
got to make sure the addiction professionals and the mental health
professionals are working together."

In March, the government enacted the legislation, empowering parents
and guardians to force drug-addicted youths aged 12 to 17 -- who are
a danger to themselves and others and resistant to interventions --
into detoxification to rid their bodies of any drugs or alcohol, to
sober up and to stabilize their health.

"I committed last fall when the legislation was first introduced that
we would continue to review it and ensure we improve it because this
is groundbreaking legislation," Addley said during an interview on
Tuesday.

In response to concerns raised by the children's advocate, the
information and privacy commissioner, the Saskatchewan Medical
Association and others, a number of amendments were introduced this
month.

The concerns were that within the legislation, there wasn't any
explicit after-care provisions once the youths had gone through the
detoxification process, Addley said.

"It was felt the five days or up to 15 days spent on (secure) in-
patient detoxification and stabilization is not treatment. It is
meant to get the chemicals out of the body, so that the person is in
a place where they can make healthy choices about their future," he
said.

"It was expressed by many that we should ensure that there is an
after-care laid out for the young person."

While it wasn't specifically stated in the legislation, Addley said,
in practice an addictions professional is assigned to work with any
youth who goes through the detoxification process and links the youth
back to the supports in their own community, he said.

The proposed amendment would require addictions workers to develop,
whenever possible, a care plan for young people who are released from
the secure care facility. This will help to ensure young people
receive continued services and support within their home communities.

"We want to ensure every child in Saskatchewan has the best possible
chance to grow up free from addiction," Addley said.

But, he added, there are no guarantees, as treatment is strictly
voluntary.

"We can't force them into treatment. But you do everything that you
possibly can and you hope that the young person will make the right
choices," Addley said.

Since Saskatchewan proclaimed and implemented this legislation,
Alberta and Manitoba have introduced similar legislation, he said.