CONSTANT DEMAND FOR DETOX TREATMENTS

The misuse of OxyContin and the toll it's taking on people's lives come as
no surprise to Tannice Fletcher-Stackhouse.

"No, not at all," she acknowledged in an interview, "because we get phone
calls every day from people seeking treatment for their opiate addiction."

As well as being a nurse, Fletcher-Stackhouse is also team leader of
Lakeview Clinic, an outpatient methadone program run out of the Lakehead
Psychiatric Hospital on Thunder Bay's north side. The service, provided by
St. Joesph's Care Group and funded by the Ministry of Health, is overseen
by two full-time and one part-time case managers and a part-time secretary.

There are 116 people in the program and 130 on a waiting list. Another 300
individuals have been identified in Northwestern Ontario as requiring
methadone maintenance services.

"We have a great deal of need in the community. Certainly there's a greater
need than we can provide," said David Engberg, clinical program manager of
community outreach services at LPH.

Because of limited resources, the program only accommodates the most
at-risk people, mainly pregnant women.

The Lakeview Clinic's methadone maintenance program involves a registered
nurse providing case management, which means they help the client deal with
the addiction and address mental health issues by offering counselling and
other support.

A potent drug used as a substitute for morphine or heroin, methadone can
keep away physical drug cravings or the need to get high.

"It can take anywhere up to five years (for the client) to get to a place
where they feel they can get off methadone," Fletcher-Stackhouse said.

"Not everybody can get off. It can be a lifelong therapy for them."

There are private practice methadone clinics in Ontario (sometimes referred
to as "juice bars" on the street). These clinics provide methadone only,
but do not provide case management services to support the clients.

The Lakeview Clinic is the only program of its kind between Sault Ste.
Marie and Winnipeg. Many people are forced to travel outside of Thunder Bay
at their own expense in order to access these desperately needed services.

With a lengthy waiting list, demand is increasing as the problem of opiate
addiction grows to "crisis" proportions, Engberg said.

"We know this problem is getting to be an epidemic across Northwestern
Ontario," he said.

In the meantime, a request has been made to the Health ministry for
additional funds to expand the methadone maintenance treatment program.