OFFICIALS WORK TO KEEP DRUG PROGRAMS OPEN

Although disappointed it has taken 10 months to distribute $600,000 to
nonprofit agencies that provide drug-treatment programs, senators say
they are working with the Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse to make sure those programs continue.

Yesterday, Sen. Mike Cruz, R-Piti, met with Mental Health officials
and three nonprofit agencies that are currently providing residential
drug treatment for youth, women and men. Last week, Mike Cruz said
officials from Sanctuary Inc. for youth, the Oasis Empowerment Center
for women and the Salvation Army's Lighthouse Recovery Center for men
voiced frustrations about how slow Mental Health has been to implement
Public Law 28-61.

Last summer, the legislation set aside $600,000 for organizations that
provide residential drug treatment and rehabilitation. Although the
initial bill appropriated $200,000 each to Sanctuary, Lighthouse and
Oasis, the bill was amended so Mental Health could disperse the money
through contracts that go through the procurement process.

Mike Cruz, who is running for election this year with Gov. Felix
Camacho, said he is "absolutely not happy" that the contracts are
still pending and none of the money has been spent. Officials of the
nonprofit groups say they continue to operate with mounting debt and
need more money to keep their doors open. For Vincent Cepeda, the
services at the Lighthouse Recovery Center were life-changing.

After decades of drug addiction and prison, Cepeda said the center
four years ago was able to help him with a second chance in life.

Now the recovering drug addict is working at the Salvation Army and
supporting his wife and five children.

Continuing services like those provided by Lighthouse was the focus of
the meeting yesterday, Mike Cruz said. He noted that Mental Health
officials apologized for the delays and said the contracts would be
finalized in the coming weeks.

If the money is not disbursed quickly enough, Sen. Benjamin Cruz,
D-Piti, who also is running with a gubernatorial candidate, former
Gov. Carl Gutierrez, said he too is looking at ways for the service
providers to get money immediately, possibly through
appropriation.

Last year, Benjamin Cruz wrote the bill that became Public Law 28-61.
The grant program was created to sustain the programs, the senator
said.

"I didn't expect it was going to take this long," Benjamin Cruz said
of the procurement process.

Sanctuary Director Sarah Thomas-Nededog said she was elated about
Public Law 28-61 last year because her agency desperately needed
money. Sanctuary factored part of the $600,000 into its fiscal 2005
budget, but because it did not receive the funds as expected,
Sanctuary had to cut some costs.

Thomas-Nededog was encouraged after yesterday's meeting.

"Let's just do it," she said. "These are not (just) Sanctuary's
clients, these are our people ... all of our people."