MORE CASH COMING FOR YOUTH DETOX BEDS

New detox beds in Nanaimo will mean youth with drug abuse problems
will be able to stay here while undergoing treatment.

The provincial government this week increased funding to all six
health authorities in B.C. with $6 million dedicated to youth
addictions treatment and $2 million to crystal meth treatment programs.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority received nearly $1.2 million
for 16 withdrawal management and stabilization beds for substance
addicted youth, with an additional $363,324 to prioritize four of
those beds for crystal meth users.

"It's something that we've been working on for quite some time," said
Michelle Dartnall, manager of youth addiction services for the
Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Nanaimo will get three withdrawal management beds, commonly referred
to as detox, plus three supported residential stabilization beds for
longer term support for youth.

The central Island area will also receive intensive day treatment
services to help support youth after they leave care, as will the
south and North Island.

Nanaimo currently has one detox bed for youth, and Parksville will be
adding two through its crystal meth task force, the health authority
and the Ministry of Children and Family Development, said Dartnall.

The new beds in Nanaimo won't come online until this summer. The
health authority and local groups, like Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) and Nanaimo Family Life, must
develop a plan to put the beds in place in the community.

"In Nanaimo we don't have an existing facility that we can use,"
Dartnall said. "We're planning for how those beds will be situated
and how the services will be delivered in the Nanaimo area.

"It's going to take us awhile to get that organized."

She said the groups will have to decide what is the best model to
use, such as a home care model currently used by ADAPT, and it may
look different than traditional detox facilities.

Prior to this funding, drug addicted youth had to travel to Vancouver
or Victoria for treatment.

Having detox beds in Nanaimo will help youth use addictions services
in a more effective way, said Dartnall. Youth will be able to use
programs that get them back to school, meet work goals and other
health care needs.

"We're going to be removing a barrier," she said.