MAYOR SAYS FHA IS FAILING ADDICTS

Gord Robson Vows To Resurrect Plan For Unlicenced Drug Recover House

Unlicenced drug and alcohol treatment programs exist in Maple Ridge
because the Fraser Health Authority has failed, charges Mayor Gord
Robson.

His comments come in response to those made in the Vancouver Sun by
Fraser Health addictions program manager Sherry Mumford.

In an article that appeared on the newspaper's front page Thursday,
Mumford suggested that at some unlicenced facilities, drug dealing is
rampant, there is overcrowding and often times no food.

"Some places youth and adults are together in a house...There's been
allegations of intimidation and violence in houses. You name it,"
Mumford told The Sun.

While Robson agrees that there are some poorly run recovery homes,
much of the time, he said, these homes, violence and all, are safer
for the residents than the streets - which might be their only other
alternative.

"How can she possibly be complaining about the quality of the housing
that take people that are sleeping behind dumpsters with bricks for a
pillow off the street?"

The reason that unlicenced recovery homes exist, added Robson, "is
because of Fraser Health's inability to deal with the addictions problem."

Addictions services, Robson continued, could always be better, but the
recovery homes that exist under the radar today, he said, "are better
than nothing, which is what Fraser Health is giving us."

"We'd love to have the ability, to have the luxury, of culling them,
of getting rid of the worst of them, but at this stage we need
hundreds of more beds," Robson said.

"The Fraser Health system is broken."

According to Fraser Health Spokesman Mike Bradshaw there is no gap in
service when it comes to addictions treatment - in Maple Ridge or
anywhere else.

"Some of the clients are really just looking for room and board
experience. If they're looking for rehabilitation with respect to
drugs and alcohol, we have treatment programs that pretty much meet
capacity.

"Despite population growth," he continued, "needs are being
met."

Robson and his wife Mary had planned to open a drug treatment facility
for youth through the Lifeline Society, which they founded. Those
plans were well under way and the facility was due to open early in
2006, but hit a wall when the licensing requirements became known.

Now, said Robson, he is resolved to open a recovery
home.

"We'll be unlicenced like the one she was complaining about...it'll be
for kids."

Currently, according to ministry of health spokeswoman Sarah Plank, as
part of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act introduced in 2004,
an Assisted Living Registrar was set up.

Its first task was to work toward better regulating seniors assisted
living facilities, and now, its current focus is on reviewing recovery
houses.

In the end, Plank said a registry of recovery homes will likely be set
up, and all will "have to meet certain health and safety standards."

Bradshaw said Fraser Health has routinely heard from other
municipalities. Surrey, for instance is the municipality pushing the
province to toughen up regulations.

"Over the past few years we get mixed messages on it. Some
municipalities want full regulation and full compliance to provide
standards, and other municipalities, and Maple Ridge is one of them,
are articulating a much more relaxed approach to things."

But a relaxed approach, said Bradshaw, won't always
work.

"If standards are going to be too onerous then some of these places
are going to shut down, and frankly maybe some of them should, but
there are others that are capable of delivering some of the services
necessary."

Before shutting down any recovery homes, however, Robson is urging
Fraser Health to step up and open up more beds.

"We've got dozens of people that are waiting for treatment," he said,
and if some of the recovery homes are less than adequate, he suggests
shutting them down, "but offer something better."