ALCOHOL'S STILL TOP ABUSE PROBLEM AMONG YOUNG, SAYS TOWN'S COUNSELOR

EAST GREENWICH -- Alcohol continues to be at the root of many referrals to
the town's substance-abuse counselor, Robert L. Houghtaling, according to a
mid-year report that he submitted to the Town Council this week.

Houghtaling, the coordinator of -- and sole counselor in -- the East
Greenwich Substance Abuse Prevention Program, said he provided counseling
to 62 people -- 48 of them younger than 21 -- for drug or alcohol problems
since last July 1. Of the 62, he said, he ultimately referred 45 to other
agencies.

"Alcohol is just so damn easy to get a hold of," Houghtaling said. While
many youngsters may try smoking marijuana, he said, his experience is that
"alcohol wins out" as the substance most abused by young people.

Adults and adolescents are referred to Houghtaling by the police, the
schools, the Juvenile Hearing Board and therapists, for counseling that
focuses on behavioral and mental-health problems, not just substance abuse.
Some people come to him directly.

All told, he said, in his report, 143 people came to him in the latter half
of 2002, most of them without referrals.

Houghtaling, who holds a master's degree in counseling education from
Providence College, meets with clients in their homes, at the police
station, in school guidance offices and, sometimes, over coffee. In his 19
years working for the town, he says, he has counseled residents ranging in
age from 12 to the mid-70s.

In the previous two years, Houghtaling's statistics showed drugs to be the
more frequent problem. Last June 30, when Houghtaling released his year-end
report, drugs were the leading cause for referrals, but at that time he
said he was unsure if it was only a "blip on the screen."

Yesterday he called the number in that report a "statistical anomaly. If I
had to bet, I think alcohol has always been the dominant drug."

"As you look at some of the reasons for referrals, one of the things I am
most proud of is how many referrals come directly from parents and kids
referring themselves," Houghtaling said, noting the police and schools have
greatly cooperated and referred a total of 40 clients this year.

School resource officers, Houghtaling and juvenile officer Lt. Thomas Joyce
try to discourage under-age drinking at house parties. They urge parents to
arrange for adequate supervision of their children when the parents go off
on vacations.

Joyce said Houghtaling is the best asset he has had in 40 years of police
work, calling him "the best drug counselor in the state."

"I think from an adult perspective, we have to perpetually be vigilant so
parents and adults become part of the support network instead of part of
the problem," Houghtaling said. "We have to have parents not condone
drinking in the house, or if they go away to make sure there is appropriate
supervision."

Besides counseling individuals, Houghtaling operates programs in the
community to discourage substance abuse by young people.

From 6 to 9:30 every Friday evening, he runs a teen center in Swift Gym,
where youths can play basketball, lift weights or watch television. He runs
a weekly philosophy club for students, and coordinates several other clubs.

"A lot of the effort is to try and create programs that not only address
the substance abuse, but find places where kids can connect with the
community," Houghtaling said. "I think the community has done a great job
in terms of promoting mentorship programs, but I think that's stuff that we
need to do more of."