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News (Media Awareness Project) - CN BC: Substance Abuse Issues Publicized
Title:CN BC: Substance Abuse Issues Publicized
Published On:2005-10-03
Source:North Shore News (CN BC)
Fetched On:2008-01-15 11:50:03
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES PUBLICIZED

Task Force Raises Public Profile

"Good afternoon everybody, I'm here today to tell you a little bit about
the story of my family," said James Haga, to a packed house in the John
Braithwaite Community Centre on Thursday.

Longtime residents of North Vancouver, the Haga family story is one
infiltrated and indescribably affected by drug addiction, he said. On Feb.
15, 2004, Haga's older brother died of a heroin overdose at age 20.

"The story does not begin on Feb. 15 by any means," he said.

The last five years of his brother's life were a daily struggle, from
dropping out of school, to spending time in jail, to unsuccessfully trying
a number of different treatment and foster care programs.

"Nothing worked for him," said Haga.

Haga shared his family's story at a report to the community, profiling the
work of the North Shore Task Force on Substance Abuse and its members. He
was one of seven panelists who provided a snapshot from their widespread
perspectives on the past, present and future of local substance abuse issues.

The meeting was facilitated by co-chairwomen Pam Goldsmith-Jones,
councillor for the District of West Vancouver and Maureen McKeon Holmes,
councillor for the District of North Vancouver. Goldsmith-Jones said the
meeting was the start of many public awareness initiatives related to the
task force.

"Despite the newfound opportunities on the North Shore to offer services to
youth, those services were not available when we really needed them most,"
Haga said. He said he's extremely pleased steps are beginning to take shape
on the North Shore.

Haga said he hopes the continued publicity of the stories of local families
will help make it clear that those stories are much more of a norm than
many individuals may think, and that publicity will assist in making it
possible for the challenges facing families to become the accepted
challenges of the community, rather than those to be kept behind closed doors.

"The range of treatment services on the North Shore, historically, has been
really poor," said panelist Ellen Pekeles, chief operating officer, shore
and coastal mountain communities, Vancouver Coastal Health.

To change this, the authority has been working to ensure core services are
no longer missing. The amount invested on the North Shore for the current
fiscal year, $750,000, will help support new addiction services including
day programs for adolescents and adults, and housing programs in the community.

Panelist Barbara Charlie, a Squamish Nation Elder, said she has seen the
serious effects of substance abuse problems on local families. "I'm not a
front-line worker, but I know how it affects our communities because I see
it, I live right there," she said.

A holistic approach has proven to be very successful within her community,
she said. Charlie referred to the Squamish Nation-based Caring For Our
Youth committee, which in partnership with local police, was formed to
address a variety of social issues.

"We would like to get back to our traditional ways of raising a family, our
children, finding out who they are, being proud of who they are, and it's
such a vast area to cover," Charlie said.

Panelist Insp. Bob Fontaine of the West Vancouver Police Department said
the number of crimes associated with addiction are increasing, particularly
fraud and mail thefts. In many cases, suspects of related crimes are
believed to be crystal meth addicts.

"There is an urgent need for treatment and an avenue for the police to have
the addict immediately attend for treatment or face incarceration when
arrested for crimes associated to their substance abuse," said Fontaine.
"With this capability, we may be able to break the addiction cycle if even
only temporarily."

Panelist Alan Podsadowski, executive director of the West Coast
Alternatives Society, said the tremendous financial benefits of treating
addiction and mental health problems in an effective and timely manner
needs to be appreciated.

Other panelists included Kathryn Butcher, of the North Shore Youth Safe
House, and Warren Hicks, assistant superintendent of the West Vancouver
school district. Following their presentations, the panelists responded to
audience questions.

One question raised was the relationship between the North Shore Task Force
on Substance Abuse and the under-development crystal-meth task force.

Sgt. Sheryl Armstrong of the North Vancouver RCMP said there are many ways
the two groups are "staying in the loop." For example, she is involved in
the work of both.

Premier Gordon Campbell made a related announcement also on Thursday. At
the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention in Vancouver,
Campbell said $7 million in additional funding will be allocated to address
crystal meth use. A new secretariat will work to co-ordinate initiatives.
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