B.C. HASN'T THE MONEY TO HELP DRUG-ADDICTED KIDS, HOGG ADMITS

British Columbia has inadequate resources to help drug-addicted youths turn
their lives around, the minister responsible for children and youth in the
province concedes.

In a telephone interview this week as part of The Vancouver Sun's series on
street kids, Gordon Hogg, minister of children and family services, said he
does not have enough money in his budget to pay for the long-term
residential programs that are needed to help youths kick drugs.

"In terms of the focus on specifically severe drug addictions, we could use
more resources," Hogg said.

"In terms of the long-term residential resources for those who are
addicted, that's one of the services that we need to expand."

Despite Hogg's admission that youth addiction needs more funding and
attention -- which puts him in agreement with most parents, police and
youth workers -- he said there won't be new resources any time soon unless
the federal government comes up with funding, which is not likely.

The ministry of children and family development estimates there are
approximately 30,000 youths in B.C. who have substance abuse problems.
Across the province, there are 86 government-run beds for youths with
addictions.

Hogg said his ministry's community-based youth programs are providing
valuable services for kids who are not yet street-entrenched, but said the
so-called "continuum of care" effectively stops there.

"We need a continuum of care. We need a range of responses," Hogg said.

"[Right now], it's all short-term, it's all acute."

If a youth wants to get clean, they need to be able to get into detox
immediately and then be smoothly transferred into treatment, say several
parents of youths who are or have been addicted.

Hogg agrees and said the full continuum of services is what his ministry is
striving for.

"We have some detox facilities, but detox tends to be short-term, not going
into long-term treatment modalities, and that is an option that we need to
have in this province," he said.

"Our long-term vision is to be able to have that comprehensive service
delivery across the full spectrum of needs for youth, so everyone has an
opportunity to achieve their potential."