LACK OF GOV'T CASH THREATENS DETOX CENTRE

Supporters of a mattress detox unit in Saskatoon say the much-needed
project will likely be scrapped, since the provincial government didn't
contribute funding for the facility in last month's provincial budget.

So far, the City of Saskatoon has committed $100,000 per year and Saskatoon
District Health (SDH) $125,000 per year to help operate the facility, where
inebriated people can sober up instead of spending the night in a police cell.

Proponents of the short-term detox centre had been anxiously waiting for
the provincial government to decide whether it would contribute $360,000
per year to help operate the facility.

"The biggest chunk of money we were hoping (for was) to come from the
province of Saskatchewan. We were fairly positive that would happen," said
Al Hergott, general manager of family health services for SDH, who's been
trying to get such a centre built in the city for 16 years.

"Of course, the provincial budget came along and we weren't one of the
projects that was chosen in the budget.

"I don't know how we can make it fly without that money."

Meanwhile, Hergott said, the federal government had agreed to a one-time
contribution of about $700,000 to help build the long-awaited facility,
which would be added onto Larson House, an existing addictions treatment
facility on Avenue O South. About $60,000 or $70,000 per year was also
expected to come from aboriginal governments.

The plan was to build a two-storey addition to the Larson House facility,
which would provide 14 beds for brief detoxification of up to 36 hours and
12 long-term beds where people could stay for three to six months after detox.

The need for an emergency detoxification centre in Saskatoon was
highlighted at the inquests into the deaths of Lloyd Joseph Dustyhorn and
Darcy Ironchild. Both men died hours after being released from police
custody for intoxication.

The coroner's juries recommended establishing an emergency detox centre
where non-violent intoxicated people could be taken instead of police
custody. At such a centre, intoxicated people could be given a medical
assessment and be allowed to sober up under supervision.

Saskatoon police Chief Russell Sabo said in an interview Thursday a detox
centre is a far better way to deal with intoxicated people than putting
them in jail.

Sabo said the centre's supporters were looking for money from the
provincial government, because drug and alcohol addiction is "an issue that
crosses the boundaries of justice and social services and health.

"The city came to the plate with funding, the federal government has come
to the plate with funding, and we would be very disappointed if this was to
not come to fruition," he said.

Coun. Patricia Roe said without the provincial money, the detox centre
project is "pretty much dead."

"We understand they're having some problems this year with revenues and
they've made this choice, I guess, but it was a big surprise to us," she said.

Representatives from the provincial government could not be reached for
comment Thursday.