MANDATORY DETOX FOR ADDICTED YOUTHS COMING

YOUTHS severely addicted to drugs or alcohol could be forced into
detox by their parents under new legislation introduced by the
provincial government yesterday.

Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald is following in the footsteps
of Alberta and Saskatchewan with the Youth Drug Stabilization Act.

"We are offering a tool of last resort for parents," Oswald said.

The law applies to Manitobans under 18 who are "severely and
persistently" abusing one or more drugs, including alcohol.

Parents who can't persuade their children to get treatment
voluntarily can apply to a judge for an order to have their child
committed to a stabilization facility for a maximum of seven days.

While there, the child must be assessed by two different specialists
within 48 hours to affirm they are severely addicted and need to be
stabilized. The hope is over the seven days of residential care, the
child will detoxify enough to see more clearly the need for
treatment. At the end of the seven days, or earlier if possible, the
child will either move on voluntarily to a treatment facility or
program, or will be released to his or her parents.

"We're talking about a seven-day period so a young person is stable
enough to be involved in a discussion about their treatment," said Oswald.

Children will not be forced into treatment, said Oswald, because the
science has shown treatment has to be voluntary or it doesn't work.

One mother, who didn't want to be identified, said if this
legislation had been available to her a decade ago, it might have
helped the lives of both her children.

When her son was 14, she tried to get him help but it didn't work.

"I couldn't force him," she said. "At the time we didn't know where to turn."

A year later, he dropped out of high school. He is now 23 and is
still an addict.

"He is only now admitting he has a problem," she said. "It consumes
his life. All he does is work and get high." Tory justice critic
Kelvin Goertzen praised the government for introducing the
legislation but said the province is lacking enough treatment beds
for addicted youth if they opt for treatment.

John Borody, CEO of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, said there
is about a four-to eight-week wait for youth residential treatment right now.

But he said there are more beds becoming available, and noted not
every child will need an inpatient treatment program.

He said by the time the bill becomes law, he expects every child
ordered into detox who agrees to go to treatment will be able to do
so immediately.

How does it work?

PARENTS whose children are severe drug or alcohol addicts must go in
person to an addiction facility and pick up the application form.
They then must take it before a judge, with evidence their child is
"severely and persistently" addicted to drugs or alcohol.

A judge can then order the youth to be taken into a stabilization
unit, and will send a police officer to find the child and take him
or her into custody.

The child must be allowed to contact a lawyer if he or she wants to,
either when the police apprehend him or her, or when he or she
arrives at the stabilization facility.

Within 24 hours, the youth must be assessed by a specialist to
determine if he or she is a candidate for forced detox, and that
assessment must be verified by a second specialist within 48 hours.

A youth can appeal the order, and the appeal will be reviewed by an
independent roster of addiction specialists and lawyers.

While in detox, specialists must develop a treatment plan for the
youth. After seven days, or earlier if possible, the youth can
voluntarily begin the program. After seven days if the youth refuses
to get treatment, he or she must be released.

Parents can apply for another order for detox, but there is no
renewal process in the bill.