MORE DRUG, ALCOHOL COUNSELLING NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS

Pacific Centre Family Services Association increases their drug and alcohol
counselling hours in Sooke this year by one third.

"It's come from feedback that's come from professionals in the community
(and) different members of the community," said Kelly Greenwell, Pacific
Centre's new counsellor.

Greenwell's position replaces counsellor Jim Bishop, who commuted to the
area one day a week to share responsibilities for the service with Liz
Nelson, a second counsellor who takes clients Wednesdays. Nelson will stay
on, seeing clients in her regular appointment hours, but Greenwell adds
Tuesdays and Thursdays to the counselling roster, bringing the non-profit's
hours up to 25 from 14 weekly.

With a degree in sociology and social work, Greenwell will complete his
thesis for a master's degree in counselling psychology as he builds his
client-base in the area. He plans to be in his Co-operative Association of
Service Agencies (CASA) centre office from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. twice a week,
though his hours may expand as needs increase.

Greenwell credits the current priority shift to the organization's new digs
in the facility on Townsend Road.

"I think working in this building has helped because anybody who comes out
here gets lots of contact with other professionals," he said, meaning
social service providers can easily share information on the volume of drug
and alcohol-related clients.

As one of the organizations in the CASA building, Pacific Centre is part of
collective efforts to address mental health in the Sooke area; they
discovered their hours didn't meet local needs.

Last fall, the Sooke RCMP spoke publicly to the Sooke News Mirror's Shannon
Moneo on local drug and alcohol abuse, acknowledging the area has a serious
problem.

"It seems Sooke has more than its share of alcohol-related incidents,"
Staff Sgt. Jennie Latham said.

Moneo unearthed ICBC statistics showing Sooke's alcohol related traffic
accidents statistics out-numbered those of other similarly sized and
isolated towns (100 Milehouse, Colwood, Creston, Sechelt, and Smithers) two
to one in most cases, and Sooke RCMP figures proved arrests for
alcohol-related offences continue to rise.

Noting the area's penchant for bush parties, wild slo pitch tournaments,
unlicensed music festivals that condone drinking in public and its
perceived isolation from other municipalities in the Capital Regional
District, Latham pointed to a number of reasons for the problem. Reasons
aside, for those who want help, it is out there, Greenwell assures.

"We're able to work with people on strategies-which are more aimed at harm
reduction, where the person's trying to get their health and relationships
in a better place," he said.

Funded by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the program is free of
charge and does not require attendees to abstain from alcohol completely.

"Basically we start out by doing an in-take which sort of goes through the
person's background, their history of substance use, what strategies
they've used-what has been successful, what hasn't," he said. "We put a lot
of emphasis on successful attempts."

Pointing out lifestyle can limit a person's ability to abstain from alcohol
or drugs, Greenwell works with clients to discover strategies for limiting
the number drinks and frequency with which someone consumes alcohol rather
than forcing clients to forgo all substances. But, he said there is no
magic formula for determining whether drinking is excessive-you can't pass
a test for alcoholism.

"Basically, if you believe that you're misusing substances, or you're
troubled by misusing substances in some way or if you're impacted by it you
are welcome at Pacific Centre," he said.

Pacific Centre clients may choose to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
or Al-Anon (a support group for family members of alcoholics) in
conjunction with their Pacific Centre efforts; clients set the number of
meetings they attend based on how often they feel they need help.

Unfortunately, the program can only be accessed by those 19 years old and
older. But there are a number of other options in the CRD for youths with
substance abuse problems. While the Vancouver Island Health Authority,
YM/YWCA, Victoria Youth Empowerment Society and Pacific Centre have a
variety of programs, a good place to start is by calling the NEED Crisis
and Information Line at 386-6323. For an appointment with Greenwell or for
more information on Pacific Centre Family Resources Association please call
642-6364 ext. 230.

The service can accept up to twenty clients a month, depending on the
amount of counselling individuals need; right now he's see two people.