TOO MANY AGENCIES IN FITCHBURG

Fitchburg City Councilor Stephen L. DiNatale believes the city is
being asked to do too much to help deal with a regional drug problem.
"We provide more than our fair share of the services for a problem
that is arguably a regional one," said DiNatale.

In fact, read the list of nonprofits geared toward drug users, the
homeless and people suffering from a mental illness or condition in
today's installment of "Decades of Addiction-Drugs in North Central
Mass." and you'll see that most agencies operate in Fitchburg.

The list includes: * Gardner Visiting Nursing Association, Inc., 35
Main St., Fitchburg; * Habit Management Institute, 155 Airport Road,
Fitchburg; * Montachusett Opportunity Council, 430 Main St.,
Fitchburg; * Our Father's House, Inc., 4 Leighton St., Fitchburg; *
Valiton House, 198 Fairmount St., Fitchburg; * LUK Crisis Center, 99
Day St., Fitchburg; * Three Pyramids, 66 Day St., Fitchburg; *
Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network, 10 Wachusett St.,
Fitchburg. Backers of the programs say they are only offering
much-needed services. And while it's true these programs do offer help
to people in need of drug rehabilitation, emergency shelter and
counseling, we agree with residents and officials in the region who
say there are far too many such agencies operating in North Central
Massachusetts.

There's also no doubt that the abundance of all these agencies in one
region also brings in more drug addicts and homeless people, some who
then go on to commit more crimes to feed their habits.

Leominster Ward 4 City Councilor Robert Salvatelli agrees. "The more
bars you have, the more drunk driving you have," Salvatelli said. "If
you have these types of things within your community, it's obviously
going to attract that kind of clientele."

City officials say the connection between drug use and crimes,
particularly property crimes, could not be clearer.

"All of our (breaking-and-entering offenses) are drug- and
alcohol-related," said Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella. "It's not
someone who needs money to go to the school dance."

The fourth installment of our series details the daily trip made by a
Framingham woman who comes to Fitchburg each day to get methadone at
Habit Management on Airport Road.

Her story illustrates just how addictive drugs can be, but Julie
LaFrance, 33, also acknowledges that while the agency is helping her
fight her former Percocet addiction, methadone is still a drug.

"Methadone allows your body to get some pleasure while you work things
out," LaFrance said recently.

Clearly, North Central Massachusetts should do its part in treating
drug addicts and others in need the help.

But the abundance of agencies is harming the overall quality of life
for all the hard-working people who call this region home.

Starting with the Gardner Visiting Nursing Association's downtown
location in Fitchburg, we urge officials to see what they can do to
find another home for the agencies, and let another region shoulder
its share of the non-profit load.