OUR SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM IS FAILING YOUNG CANADIANS

An extensive study of street youth in the Journal of the American
Medical Association has identified a gaping hole in Canada's social
safety net, through which an alarming number of young Canadians are
falling -- many to their deaths.

This shameful hole needs stitching, as it's clear we are failing some
of the neediest members of our society.

When the Montreal researchers began their five-year study in 1995,
they were investigating HIV infection rates among the city's street
children. But, during the course of their study, 26 of their 1,013
young subjects died from other causes -- a death rate more than 11
times that of youth in the general population.

The researchers quickly refocused on this shocking mortality rate.
And, last week, they warned that the plight of our street youth
urgently needs to become a public health priority.

"They are dying of things we could do something about," said study
co-author Nancy Haley, a pediatrician and an infectious disease
consultant to Montreal's public health department.

Suicide, the study found, was the main cause of death, closely
followed by drug overdoses.

In fact, of the 26 youngsters who died, 21 were lost to suicide or
overdose. (Two died from unintentional injury, one each from hepatitis
and heart disease, and one from unknown causes).

These dire facts clearly debunk the pervasive myth that a life on the
streets is a lifestyle choice for youth, some sort of adventure in
rugged tribalism.

Street-smart bravado is merely a defence and survival mechanism. These
children are distressed, sick or disturbed. And too many of them are
dead before their 25th birthday.

So, where are our mental health workers, our social workers, our
addiction and family councillors when these kids need them most?

Where is the housing, the help and the early intervention that could
save their young lives?

Sadly, they do not seem to be a priority for our government.

But, hopefully, this shocking study will cause that to
change.

Canada's social policy makers must take immediate steps to patch the
social safety net that is failing a large and growing section of our
population.