DELVING INTO THE SHADOWY WORLD OF DRUG ADDICTED YOUTH

What kinds of drugs are teen addicts using? Are they on the street or
living at home? When did they first try their drug of choice?

These and other secrets of drug and alcohol addiction in youth ages 12 to
18 will be explored in a new Fraser Health Authority (FHA) study launched
this week.

Alcohol and drug abuse among youth is a growing concern in the Lower
Mainland - particularly crystal meth, a toxic drug popular with street
youth, young women and frequenters of clubs and raves.

The first of its kind in the FHA, the study will follow the treatment of up
to 300 addicted youth from the time they first see an intake worker,
through their treatment either at home or in a residential program.

The study will continue until March 31, 2005, with the goal of following as
many youth as are willing to participate in the voluntary study, said FHA
addictions expert Sherry Mumford.

Participants will be asked where they live and how long they've lived
there, what level of support and involvement they receive from parents,
what types of drugs they use, when they started using, how often they use
and how they feel about their drug of choice.

While Mumford hopes much will be learned from the study, the goal is to
find out how successful specific treatments are.

Generally, addicted youth are funnelled into one of three types of
treatment programs: an outpatient, outreach clinic where clients remain at
home but meet regularly with a counselor; an intensive day treatment
program where clients live at home but attend a rigorous 35-hour per week
day treatment program; or residential care, where youth undergo treatment
while residing full-time at a facility.

Currently, clients are referred to treatment programs without knowing what
works best for a given addiction/personality/home situation, Mumford said.

"We've never done a study.... to find out what types of treatments are the
most helpful - what works best for what kid," she said. "Take a youth who's
an alcoholic and uses cocaine - he isn't living at home, he's 17, and he
hasn't been at school. The study will tell us "XYZ" is probably where we
should send that youth, based on the profile we know has the best chance to
succeed."

The information gleaned from the study will be invaluable in developing
youth addictions programs, Mumford said.

"We always throw money in to try to build it (the program) up but we've
never done it on a real solid and evidence-based foundation. You throw more
money in and you put more beds in - but is that what you really need?"

For example, there is an intensive day treatment program in New Westminster
but none in either the Fraser South or Fraser East areas. These are less
costly programs that don't require beds or 24-hour care. But officials
don't know if that model would work in other areas because it hasn't been
done, Mumford said.

An outside evaluator will put a report together following the study, and
Mumford hopes to publish its findings.