IS MANDATORY TREATMENT A PLAUSIBLE OPTION FOR ADDICTION-TROUBLED TEENS?

A mother of a troubled teen says parents need to have more say when it
comes to helping their drug-addicted children, while the local
addictions centre says research shows forced treatment doesn't
necessarily improve someone's motivation to get off drugs.

MLA Mary Anne Jablonski said last week parents should be allowed to
put their drug-addicted teenagers in treatment facilities even if it's
against the child's wishes.

The Conservative Red Deer North MLA said she will present a private
member's bill later this year that would give parents that right.

"It actually helps the families make a decision and to help their
children, who are addicted, to get back to leading more normal lives,"
she said.

Jablonski also said she would advocate for more youth
treatment.

"Linda," the mother of a Grande Prairie young offender, who can't be
identified to protect the identify of her daughter who has had drug
issues, said too often parents are forgotten - when they see more of
what their child is going through than anyone else.

Barb Robbins, Grande Prairie area supervisor for the AADAC Northern
Addictions Centre, said she can't really comment on the benefits or
negative effects of such legislation because it differs from AADAC's
current treatment philosophy.

"It's a philosophical shift for us, because we are voluntary so I
personally don't have (an opinion)," she said.

Robbins said some arguments put in favour of forced drug treatment are
that it will reduce criminal activity and "that it may be a way to
help motivate somebody that doesn't have the personal
motivation."

However, Robbins said, implementing this sort of legislation raises
questions about denying people's freedom of choice.

"It may undermine certain self-determination in people making choices
for themselves. Because telling somebody that they need to do
something doesn't necessarily increase their motivation or sustain
change if they don't see a need for it," she said.

NAC does not have a residential drug treatment centre for youth but,
Robbins said, it is putting together a proposal for the province to
enhance its youth services. That would include a residential treatment
centre for youth. She said they would hope to partner with other
government agencies for a youth residential treatment.

Robbins said they often work with youth who are not ready for
treatment but through a variety of techniques they try to help them
"so they can evaluate their (drug) use and put it into
perspective."

Linda has been dealing with her daughter, now 17, since she was 13 and
previous attempts at outpatient drug treatment were
unsuccessful.

Recent struggles with the youth justice system and doctors to get her
daughter, currently in jail in Edmonton, into treatment only point to
more of a need for parents to have some influence she said.

It wasn't until her daughter committed enough crimes that she now may
get a chance to get treatment for drug and mental health issues.

"If she didn't have almost 30 convictions, she wouldn't be in line for
treatment," she said. "Here's a situation where me, as a parent, I
hold no clout, I hold zero clout. Unless I have a title on my name
like director of this or doctor of that, I'm not taken seriously as
being the number one person that can tell you what (she) is all about
and what we've dealt with."

Parents are held responsible for what their kids do, she
said.

"If the kids screw up, everybody looks at the parents to fix it,
discipline them - it's always our fault and that's the way our society
is."

One step to helping everyone, is letting parents have a say, including
letting them force their teens into drug treatment programs, she said.

Health Minister Iris Evans showed support for Jablonski's bill this
week. She also said she's working to get money for new facilities in
her department's latest budget.