POSITIVE

Assistance Available For Drug Addicted Teens

Help may be on the way for drug addicted teens.

Health minister Iris Evans confirmed Feb. 7 that funding will be available
for four residential treatment centres for youth.

Evans also noted that if it's possible, she'd like to see these treatment
centres secured so young addicts can't escape back to the streets.

"We are presenting a budget and we will be working on those programs," she
told the Edmonton Sun.

She said that AADAC is developing a plan for treatment centres across the
province. She did not expand on where the treatment centres might be
located or how much was budgeted for their operation.

Good move

Yvonne Allan the chair of the Drug Response Task Force hails the provincial
announcement. "I think something our group identified was the lack of
treatment centres for youth. There are a lot (of treatment centres) for
adults and those geared for addictions to different drugs."

The detox program for some drugs or alcohol can be as little as three
months, however for crystal meth users it may be up to one year before
users are considered clean.

Secure facilities

Allen supports the move to include secure treatments for youth.

"We're aware there has been an advocacy effort to try and get that type of
law or change in place."

The Drug Response Task Force meets twice a month and is developing some
priorities for the year, which include continued education and awareness,
support for youth and parents and linking with other drug response groups
across the province.

The board agreed to host a Community Mobilization Program grant on behalf
of the Battle River Drug Response Task Force. The division's responsibility
will include hosting and distributing the grant funds in addition to
providing space for a contract coordinator who will oversee a proposed
youth leadership conference slated for October 2005.