YOUTH DETOX FOR CITY

Three or four beds will be opened in Red Deer to help young drug
addicts kick their destructive habit.

The Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission announced Wednesday it
is preparing for new legislation that will allow parents to force
their children into detox facilities against their will.

Twenty beds for youths will be opened around Alberta, including
several in Red Deer, in coming weeks.

Red Deer North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski, who introduced the legislation
as a private member's bill, said she can't reveal where the beds will
be located at this time.

Two agencies in Red Deer are negotiating with AADAC to provide the
service, said Jablonski.

"The agencies probably have facilities capable of handling safe beds,
and their programs would lend themselves to a five-day detox," she
said.

"They would work hand-in-hand with AADAC."

After the legislation takes effect July 1, a guardian or the parents
of a minor who is abusing alcohol or drugs can apply to provincial
court for an apprehension and confinement order.

Youths would spend five days in a safe house, receiving
detoxification, assessments and counselling from AADAC. As well, AADAC
would work with the youths and their parents to develop voluntary
treatment plans to follow their release from the safe house.

AADAC received $14 million in the last provincial budget to help pay
for the program.

Jablonski said she expects parents will be clamouring to get
help.

"I hear that parents will be waiting in line. I've heard that in Red
Deer and Edmonton.

"I know there are a couple of parent groups in Red Deer that are very
concerned and looking for help for their children."

Jablonski said programs already exist for youths who seek voluntarily
treatment.

By March 2007, AADAC plans to open another 24 beds for voluntary
treatment and detoxification of youth.

AADAC is also hiring 24 additional frontline staff for youth programs,
including 10 mobile addictions staff.

Jablonski originally proposed placing youths in a treatment facility
for 90 days following the five-day detoxification and assessment. But
she said there were concerns such legislation would be overturned in
court.

She said the government needs to gauge the success of the five-day
detox program and then look at strengthening the legislation to
increase the detention period.

"It would have to be a team effort. It would have to be parents or
youth coming to me or the government, saying, 'We want more.'"

Jablonski said the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse has announced
$40 billion is spent annually on substance abuse in the country.

"That's more than cardiovascular disease and cancer put
together.

"It illustrates the need to address this problem as soon as possible."