MORE ON MANDATORY DETOX

Re: Don't tell me mandatory detox is a bad idea (March 7).

The proposed mandatory detox for youth may save lives. Just by virtue
of its presence, youth who have become drug addicted can ponder the
choice of going voluntarily into treatment or know that they may face
the ultimate consequence of forced, short-term detox. That in itself
may provide some motivation to take action. Needing help with drug
problems raises a host of issues not only for parents, but for social
workers as well who have youth in care. As a long-term addictions
treatment provider, I have witnessed too many cases of parents and
social workers getting youth into treatment beds out of pure
desperation to stabilize an individual, and then react quite the
contrary when the youth states, after sometimes just a few days, that
he/she does not wish to remain in treatment and the youth is pulled
from the program. I hear people say long-term treatment is necessary,
and it exists in Manitoba, but I don't believe they understand what
that process entails. It is a difficult road and many youth and
parents lack the proper support and encouragement needed to sustain
them during that process.

Youth these days face a lot of contradictions. We are a drug-using
society. Feeling good has become the priority over working hard or
making sacrifices in life. Kids can get free needles and crack kits,
no names asked, but need parental consent to receive treatment. We
state one thing, yet do another, and expect youth to use us as role models.

What would be more useful to a greater number of Manitobans related
to youth who use drugs is an assessment and referral unit that any
parent or youth could access. The present system does little to match
needs with services and thorough assessments are often performed
after referrals are made, rather than prior to. This is clearly a
family health issue and parents and youth alike need the support of a
range of service providers who understand addictions and know what
services exist to meet their needs.

The one unintended consequence that I anticipate mandatory detox may
have is that of driving drug-using behaviour underground with more
running-away behaviour from our youth and consequently less help
sought. And that would set us back a few decades in the field.

JEAN DOUCHA

Executive Director

Behavioural Health Foundation

Winnipeg