MORE MONEY TO FIGHT CRYSTAL METH

An extra $8 million injection of provincial money to combat crystal
meth and other addictions includes nearly $2 million a year more for
the Fraser Health Authority.

Three-quarters of the new funding announced Thursday will go to youth
addictions treatment, while the balance is dedicated to crystal meth treatment.

"The number of youth addictions treatment beds will increase by
approximately 75 per cent and allows us to build capacity to ensure
youth across the province get the assistance they need," health
minister George Abbott said.

Ten longer-term residential treatment beds for youth addicts with
complex needs, and possibly other mental health disorders, are to be
provided through a partnership between Fraser Health and the
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.

The site hasn't been determined.

"We are working intensively on this project," said FHA addictions
leader Dr. Akbar Bayanzadeh, who said youths will be able to stay in
the beds up to six months.

The FHA will also get nearly $560,000 extra added to its annual
budget to pay for six crystal meth youth outreach workers to provide
treatment, prevention, early diagnosis and harm reduction measures
throughout the region.

They'll work through a series of community-based activities to reach
at-risk youth and treat those already addicted.

Bayanzadeh said the aim is to help not just crystal meth users but
intervene early to reach other young people using "gateway drugs"
such as alcohol or marijuana.

"It is essential for us to reach out to these young people -- as
youth who use crystal meth are far more reluctant than other drug
users to seek out our services," he said.

Other one-time FHA initiatives financed through the announcement include:

? Hiring of three concurrent disorders youth therapists.

? A youth home detox pilot program in Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows.

? A clinician to work with doctors to help diagnose drug and alcohol
abuse problems as a one-year pilot program.

? An addictions specialist focused on youth with addiction and
behavioural problems.

? Educational events this spring for the FHA's addictions staff.

The total number of addictions treatment beds in B.C. is to rise to
1,038, with 158 dedicated to youth.

Construction is underway on a new detox centre for addicts in the
region that will be based in Surrey.

Creekside Withdrawal Management Centre, to be run by the Fraser
Health Authority, will be adjacent to Surrey Memorial Hospital. It
will replace the existing Maple Cottage Detox in Burnaby.

The change means a net increase of detox beds from 25 to 30 and there
will be six dedicated beds for youth -- up from three previously.
Fraser Health also opened a new nine-bed Withdrawal Management Unit
last year in Chilliwack General Hospital.

The new facilities complement the existing 60-bed Maple Ridge
Treatment Centre, where residential programs offer a safe living
environment for recovering addicts.

Other addiction-related services around the region include various
contracted support recovery facilities, intensive day treatment
programs, and various community outreach, clinical or school-based assistance.