ADDICTION PROGRAM OPENS

North Shore youth battling drug or alcohol addictions have a new local
resource to turn to.

Last week, Vancouver Coastal Health opened the Adolescent Day Program
in North Vancouver offering counselling, rehabilitation, withdrawal
management, medical and psychiatric support, outpatient counselling,
and community outreach and consultation services.

An estimated one out of 10 people between the ages of 12 and 19 has a
problem with alcohol or drugs, said Ida Goodreau, president and CEO of
Vancouver Coastal Health, at an official launch event held Dec. 9 at
the Parkgate Community Health Centre.

"This new and innovative approach is part of Vancouver Coastal
Health's ongoing commitment to finding ways to meet the health-care
needs of young people in our community," said Goodreau. The program
will cost the authority $500,000 per year to run.

Lawrence Sheppard, manager, child and youth mental heath and
addictions services for Vancouver Coastal Health on the North Shore,
said the program fills a local gap.

"We have always needed a program that really addressed the kids with
the tougher addictions kinds of issues," said Sheppard. He said
alcohol and marijuana addictions are probably the biggest challenges
for youth on the North Shore; however, crystal methamphetamine
addiction is a growing problem.

The program opened Dec. 5 with five adolescents enrolled, overseen by
a staff of seven clinicians and practitioners. It's run five days a
week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enrolment could last from three to six
months, dependent on each youth's needs. The program will operate at
an existing child and youth mental health and addictions site in Lower
Lonsdale.

The North Vancouver school district has contributed a half-time
teacher and a half-time special-education aide to provide instruction.
Youth will also spend time developing their life skills, undergoing
vocational assessment and increasing their involvement in leisure
activities.

"The youth who are in the program currently indicated to our staff
that they were concerned that over the Christmas break, with all the
parties and festivities, that that was really a crunch time for them
in terms of substance abuse issues," said Sheppard.

He said it's a great sign that this early on participants are
recognizing their needs and feeling comfortable to ask for help. As a
result, the program will be expanded and not close parallel to the
school system.

It's anticipated that 30 to 40 youth will complete the program per
year, and another 100 will be helped through its outreach components.

Katherine Whittred, MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale also attended the
launch event.

"Local youth who struggle with drug and alcohol addictions will be
able to receive treatment right here at home on the North Shore and
that is of course what all of us want," she said. Whittred referred to
the work of the North Shore Task Force on Substance Abuse and its
active role in the program's launch.

Dr. Stephen Holliday, manager for Vancouver Coastal Health's
assessment and treatment services programs for mental health and
addictions services on the North Shore, said in an interview that two
more addictions service programs will soon open on the North Shore. In
January, an adult and seniors day program is expected to launch,
followed by addictions housing services later on in the new year.

For more information, or to access the Adolescent Day Program or
others, phone the central referral number at 604-984-3770. For
detoxification information, phone the D-TALKS Referral Line at
604-658-1221.