METH TREATMENT OPTIONS EXPLORED

It was their most important meeting yet, and when they asked for the help
of the public, it came through more than they could have imagined says
chair of the treatment sub committee for the Oceanside Community Crystal
Meth Task Force

"I think it went really well," says Al MacDonald, judging by the around-65
people who attended their Vision of Hope workshop Tuesday night

"We had a strong attendance by youths, kids that are affected by this drug
showing up and sharing with us," he explains

He says the broader presentation and then smaller working groups divided
the issue of treatment into five points

Those included how to make contact with people affected, create safe
harbours for those people, help in detox and withdrawal management, plan
residential care for those who need it, and provide community -based
substance use education and counselling

"We need to consider the unique challenges that an individual is facing and
how we can best address them," says MacDonald about the situations faced by
each person affected by crystal meth use

He says they learned a lot - from the desire of parents to be involved in
the process, to the need for an easier access to the system of support.
They heard from youth living on the street about things that were working
for them and things that weren't.

He says overreaching all of this - what they heard was a desire by the
community to move forward with a plan

"There's also a demand for action on this, people want to see concrete
steps," says MacDonald

The steps for the committee now, he says, is to draw up a plan, which will
be presented to the other task force chairs next Tuesday. After feedback is
received and any alterations made, the task force will be moving forward
with implementation.

That could happen as quickly as 10 days from now, he says

While MacDonald won't disclose the plan right now, he will give a few hints

"We will be asking for a wide variety of involvement from community
stakeholders," says MacDonald, to address the top issues of information,
outreach, supportive recovery and residential treatment.