DESERVING BETTER TREATMENT

It's an ironic twist for West Coast Alternatives Society, winner of a
2009 provincial award for excellence in addiction treatment.

The North Vancouver-based society was recently stunned to learn
Vancouver Coastal Health is cutting $790,000 in funding, which
amounts to 80 per cent of the group's annual operating budget.

West Coast Alternatives relies on the health authority money to run
its innovative, award-winning programs, which help kids as young as
two years old.

When funding dries up in January, drug and alcohol programs for
adults, youth and children will be in dire straits.

Alan Podsadowski, the society's executive director, said the
"devastating" loss of the group's primary operating revenue will
force them to seek out alternative sources of funding - federal,
municipal or corporate. The society may also investigate the
possibility of charging client fees.

One thing is certain: any cuts to programs will have a major impact
on North Shore residents - even if the health authority promises to
offer in-house programs for alcohol and drug addiction.

West Coast Alternatives moved to North Van in the early 1980s because
of the dearth of treatment options here. The society assists between
500 and 600 local residents annually. Its waiting list is 40 to 50
deep, with an average time of four months.

Podsadowski estimates the society has treated 10,000-plus patients
since moving here in 1981. Many clients turn their lives around.

As such, the cost of addiction prevention and treatment is money well
invested in the community, because the price of untreated addiction
is vastly greater than the expense of dealing with it.

The impacts are break-ins. Broken families. Addiction-related health
issues. The consequences burden our courts and jails.

The regional health authority is apparently willing to exchange
short-term financial relief for what will be the community's
long-term pain. That is unfortunate in the extreme, however, in the
light of this myopic decision, other levels of government, private
donors and local businesses must recognize the value of such a
critical resource on the North Shore, and step up to fill the gap.