NEW SERVICE FOR WOMEN ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS IS FIRST OF ITS KIND

Womankind Addiction Service, which opened in Hamilton recently, is the
first of its kind in Ontario providing support for women addicted to
alcohol or drugs through the whole course of recovery.

"Usually women have to go somewhere for withdrawal, somewhere else for
treament and somewhere else for after-care," said Debbie Bang, manager of
Womankind. "They have to go here and there and sometimes with a stroller
and diaper bag. It's no wonder they can't make it.

"This is a blending of services. A one-stop shop."

Last year, 600 women contacted the women's treatment facilities,
representing a 200 per cent increase over the last four years.

This 24-bed facility is an amalgamation of Women's Detox and Mary Ellis
House, which will be able to provide treatment for an additional 340 women
each year.

Mary Ellis House, which was on Bold Street, had eight beds and Women's
Detox, run by St. Joseph's Healthcare, had seven beds. The hospital will
either sell the site on Rosslyn Avenue or use it for other programming.

Womankind plans to start engaging women before they even formally seek out
addiction treatment.

"It will be a place where they can come and do laundry and meet other
women. They will start to recognize it as a safe place," Ms. Bang said.
"It's very scary if you're alone, especially if you have children, to tell
someone you have an addiction."

Women can enter the centre for withdrawal management. Those who are well
enough participate in daily groups, which focus on early recovery
education, relapse prevention and recovery planning.

Women who would like to seek treatment are assessed and appropriate
treatment and discharge plans are made.

The centre will offer pre-treatment, where women can set goals and plan for
recovery.

The first of Womankind's five-week community treatment sessions, where
woman can go home at night, began this Monday.

A one-to-two week after-care program will help clients see what is working
and where change is needed.

Another program moving into the facility is New Choices, which was run out
of Melrose Church.

New Choices provides treatment for pregnant women or mothers with children
under six. Services include assessment, treatment and referral and both
individual and group counselling. Women also receive prenatal and postnatal
education and children participate in therapeutic play programs that
promote physical, social and emotional development.

Ms. Bang said concerns about child care often deter women from seeking
help. Being able to bring children on-site for helpful progams can motivate
women to seek treatment.

Greenspace and trees, exercise programs and support groups, will help to
make the site at 431 Whitney Ave. especially welcoming.

A few times a year, the centre will also hold weekend retreats. Volunteers
and alumni will visit the centre regularly to share their skills and offer
support.

One such volunteer is May Ferguson, chair of the Womankind advisory
committee, who has helped see the centre through to fruition.

She has been involved since 1991, when the idea for Womankind was first
introduced. Due to logistical and funding issues, the centre was a long
time coming.

Ms. Ferguson said women-only centres are necessary to give women a safe
place to share with their peers. Because women tend to nurture men, their
own needs sometimes get lost in a co-ed setting.

There are three women's only detox centres in Ontario.

"Women are dying because they're not getting the help they need," she said.
"We want to reach all these women. I don't believe there is one family who
has not been touched by this."