PUTTING THE PILLARS INTO PLACE

Building A Better Drug And Alcohol Strategy

The first step to recovery is admitting the problem. Pemberton and
Mount Currie have recently recommitted to this first step and have
gone further by offering up potential solutions to the area's
substance abuse problems.

Recent meetings of both the Pemberton Healthy Communities Committee
and the Pemberton-Mount Currie Drug and Alcohol Task Force have
generated numerous suggestions to address this issue. Everything from
creating citizens' patrols of well-known outdoor drinking areas to
employing an approach similar to the City of Vancouver's Four Pillar
approach has been brought forward.

The question now is when can the affected communities expect to see
tangible results?

Pemberton Mayor Elinor Warner, who sits on the task force and observes
the Healthy Communities Committee when available, and Dan Reist, a
consultant to the task force from the Kaiser Foundation, are certain
that positive change is imminent. However, both cite an impending task
force report as the basis for implementing any new strategies.

"First we have to examine the report," says Warner. "The task force
will sit down and really look at it closely. And then we have a
commitment to take it back to the community in September and talk
about what we can implement."

Characterizing the task force's June 15 all-day workshop as having "a
lot of goodwill" Warner added that many solid concepts for community
building were also brought forward. "One of the great ideas was to do
things together, such as a holding a Mayor and Chief's Picnic."

"I can't say what the ultimate (strategic) plan will look like. That
has to come from the community. It has to reflect its priorities,"
says Reist, the Kaiser Foundation president who was instrumental in
the City of Vancouver's Four Pillars Drug Strategy.

Reist admits that he believes the resulting community action plan will
be similar to the controversial Vancouver strategy, a multi-sector
approach that is grounded in the harm reduction philosophy. This
multi-prong approach would require an examination of community assets
as well as the involvement and co-operation of many existing
resources, such as the RCMP, health services, social services and
educational institutions.

Working from the assumption that addiction is a health issue and not a
criminal issue, Vancouver's Four Pillars approach incorporates the
following measures:

Harm Reduction -- reducing the spread of deadly communicable
diseases, preventing drug overdose deaths, increasing substance users'
contact with health care services and drug treatment programs, and
reducing consumption of drugs in the street;

Prevention -- using a variety of strategies to help people
understand substance misuse, the negative health impacts and legal
risks associated with substance use and abuse, encouraging people to
make healthy choices, and providing opportunities to help reduce the
likelihood of substance abuse, including affordable housing,
employment training and jobs, recreation and long-term economic
development;

Treatment -- offering individuals access to services that help
people come to terms with substance misuse and lead healthier lives,
including outpatient and peer-based counseling, methadone programs,
daytime and residential treatment, housing support, and ongoing
medical care; and,

Enforcement -- recognizing the need for peace and quiet, public
order and safety targeting organized crime, drug dealing, drug houses,
problem businesses involved in the drug trade, and improving
co-ordination with health services and other agencies that link drug
users to withdrawal management (detox), treatment, counseling and
prevention services.

Founded in tragedy

To fully understand the importance of a cohesive drug and alcohol
strategy for the Pemberton-Mount Currie area, the genesis of the two
organizations now leading the changes has to be considered.

In May 2002, 15-year-old Ross Leo was beaten to death in the "The
Jungle", a densely forested, popular drinking spot located on BC Rail
land. The killing that stunned the community of 2,000 was the result
of the teenager's altercation over alcohol with two grown men.

Leo's death horrified residents and sparked interest in developing
healthy community initiatives in both Pemberton and neighbouring Mount
Currie. More than 40 people attended the inaugural meeting of the
Pemberton Healthy Communities Committee. BC Rail, which owns the land
where the death occurred, cleaned up the area, cutting back the trees
and brush that had housed the "hobo houses".

It soon became apparent that the inter-related issues of health,
safety and substance abuse were even larger than the tragic death of a
teenager. Meetings were held. Workshops attended. Potential sources of
funding for combating drug and alcohol abuse were researched. In June
2003 the Pemberton-Mount Currie Drug and Alcohol Task Force was
created to specifically "=85make recommendations to increase public
safety on the undeveloped lands adjacent to Pemberton Creek."
Representatives of the Pemberton Village Council, Mount Currie Band
Council, RCMP, Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police, community members and
various health professionals joined the task force. Things seemed to
be on the right track.

Then things appeared to come to a standstill.

Task force member and Pemberton Councillor Michelle Beauregard
acknowledges that there were few tangible results following the flurry
of meetings that came on the heels of Ross Leo's death. The first term
councillor cites lack of resources as the primary barrier to
implementing new programs.

"You can meet all you want, but without money you can't get going. It
was exciting to get money and hire Brandon (Hestdalen). He'd worked as
counselor, he knew the community=85 we felt lucky to get him," says
Beauregard of the co-ordinator currently on contract until the report
and strategic plan are completed.

Currently funded by a $20,000 National Crime Prevention Centre grant
administered though the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse that it
received at beginning of this year, the task force hired Hestdalen as
a dedicated staff person with a primary objective of preparing a
report on the substance abuse issues in the area. The report, which
will cover a range of data -- from the amount of alcohol sold in
various liquor outlets to public perception of drug use -- will
provide the foundation for a strategic plan.

But just three days shy of the second anniversary of Leo's death the
communities received a grim reminder that the problems that had
brought them together were not behind them. On April 30, a second
death occurred in the area directly behind the stand of trees BC Rail
had razed, less than 200 metres from Pemberton's Signal Hill
Elementary School -- a school attended by children related to both the
61-year-old victim and the 38-year-old man initially charged in the
case.

On May 10th the charge of Second Degree murder against Gary Dwayne Jim
in relation to the death of Matthew Pierre was stayed due to
insufficient evidence provided by the RCMP to Crown counsel. (Police
are still treating Pierre's death as suspicious. The RCMP and the
Crown counsel have one year in which to re-lay a charge if the ongoing
investigation reveals more conclusive evidence.)

On May 14, the man responsible for Ross Leo's death, Wade Calvin
Peters, 30, was sentenced to two years less a day in North Vancouver
provincial court after he pleaded guilty to a charge of
manslaughter.

The community was talking again, and instead of shock, there was a
tone of resigned frustration. Did The Jungle's proximity to Signal
Hill Elementary School constitute the endangerment of children? Were
current drug and alcohol health strategies adequate? How could the
community be more proactive?

Kathryn Strilchuck, vice-principal of Signal Hill Elementary School,
points out that everyone, from the RCMP to her students are aware of
what's going on behind the school and she doesn't believe it
represents a threat to public safety.

"It's far enough away," Strilchuck says of the popular drinking spot.
"It's not like it's the school, the fence and The Jungle. The kids
don't hop the fence at recess time and hang out there. Honestly, I
don't think (The Jungle) is dangerous. If it was more cleared out and
there was more presence by RMCP, or a citizens' watch program, the
community would feel more comfortable.

"There are other places people are drinking -- it's just that The
Jungle happens to be where the two deaths occurred."

The idea of forming a citizens' patrol to monitor these
public-drinking areas is currently being explored by the Healthy
Communities Committee. However, until a report from the RCMP committee
member on the feasibility of a patrol has been received, the committee
members are not commenting on the issue.

Developing a strategy

Clearly, if existing drug and alcohol strategies were effective, the
Pemberton-Mount Currie Drug and Alcohol Task Force wouldn't exist and
all-day workshops would not be necessary.

Brandon Hestdalen, Pemberton-Mount Currie Drug and Alcohol Task Force
co-ordinator, was hesitant to discuss the results of the all-day
workshop and would not directly address whether the Four Pillars model
would be employed.

"Nothing was examined thoroughly," says Hestdalen. "Although a lot of
ideas were discussed.

"It was a very full day that proved positive for both communities. We
developed a framework that needs to be polished up before it is
presented to both communities."

That polishing will be the preparation of the report and strategic
plan to be presented to a community forum in September.

While he anticipates that a number of the strategies developed at the
workshop will be implemented through the summer, Hestdalen would not
say what those strategies might be other than to characterize them as
being "smaller" and "easier to manage." He added that those who would
be first to use the new strategies would include drug and alcohol
counselors and outreach workers currently in place.

Dan Reist believes that current drug and alcohol strategies don't
work.

While establishing a detox/rehab centre may seem like an obvious
solution to the problem, Reist cautions that because of cost and
effectiveness this may not be appropriate for the two
communities.

"Traditionally, rehab has worked best for people who are not chronic
abusers. Chronic abusers, the type of people who are repeatedly picked
up for public drunkenness, don't respond very well to that type of
treatment," says Reist.

As well, residential treatment is the most costly option for detox and
rehab. Reist believes it's not something for Pemberton and Mount
Currie to rush into.

Dr. Rebecca Lindley concurs with Reist. A physician working out of the
Pemberton Health Clinic, Lindley maintains that they have never had a
problem getting someone into drug and alcohol treatment centres in
Squamish, North Vancouver or Vancouver.

"We have great access to detox," she says. "The problem is people
wanting treatment. They may come in wanting treatment, but by the time
a space is available -- some places want a person sober for at least
two days -- their situations might have changed."

"What is significant is that the local police cells are being used as
detox centres -- 96 per cent of check-ins are for drying out," says
Reist. "Is that effective? Is it cost effective?

"You need to think about what to do for that group. Safe withdrawal is
an issue that the community has to face."

Another issue Reist sees the community having to face is the perceived
image of the drug and alcohol abuser.

"We don't have good statistics for small communities like Pemberton
and Mount Currie. And it's very hard to measure substance abuse in the
non-Aboriginal community," he says, adding that such a lack of
information always "raises a red flag."

The focus on First Nations drug and alcohol issues may be an issue of
visibility.

Simply put, it's easier to point a finger at the guy stumbling through
town at 2 in the afternoon than the woman who's adding shots of vodka
to her morning OJ at her kitchen table in Vinyl Village.

Dr. Lindley points out the substance abuse is a serious issue in both
communities, and is often a contributing factor in assaults and motor
vehicle accidents, as well as minor trauma such as household
accidents. She sees drinking and driving as a specific area of concern.

"Just look at the ditches from Reed Road to Whistler and you'll see
beer cans everywhere. It's an indication that drinking and driving is
really socially acceptable in this community," she says citing
community demographics as a possible reason for the attitude.

"We have a young population=85 lots of outdoor enthusiasts=85 and
compared to other communities, larger disposable incomes."

Another issue that contributes to the problem is the law of averages.
With limited police resources, people are willing to take their
chances when drinking, knowing the odds are in their favour when it
comes to roadblocks and spot checks. Increasing police resources is
extremely difficult in large areas with small populations, the
solution to decreasing the problem is to change the way people feel
about drinking and driving.

"Substance abuse and addiction is everyone's problem, it touches
everyone to various degrees," emphasizes Beauregard. "Right now we
have an incredible opportunity to address the issue in both our
communities."

Defining solutions

So what is the most socially and economically effective method of
addressing the issue of substance abuse?

Reist sees beginning with any one aspect of a strategy, be it
education, treatment or regulation, as a potential waste of resources.

"You can't abandon education because of the way our society is
structured. It's a fundamental right to have the best information to
make an informed decision. But we need education that is
evidence-based," says Reist. "We have to bite the bullet and abandon
the (programs) that don't work. If we poured all the money into
education we wouldn't make great progress."

For example Signal Hill Elementary offers drug education from Grade 4
and up in the form of the DARE program and the sessions offered by the
Sea to Sky Community Services. Strilchuck says that it's hard to
assess the effectiveness of the programs as there's no follow-up to
see the impact of the programs once the kids get to high school.

"The kids have to want to get something out of it," says Strichuck.
"And it has to be supported at home."

"Treatment by itself doesn't work, either," says Reist. "Gathering up
people most at risk -- dangers to themselves and society -- those
people don't do well in treatment. What we need to do is a combination
of things applied at one time."

Reist cites a recent tobacco health initiative in New York City as an
example of a successful multi-prong approach. Tobacco taxes were
increased dramatically, a public education and awareness campaign was
launched and the city backed it up with providing free smoking
cessation patches. For three months a program of regulation, treatment
and education was applied. The result: An 11 per cent reduction in
smoking.

Reist believes that the multi-prong approach can be implemented
without additional governmental funds.

"We're already pumping a lot of money into dealing with the
consequences of substance abuse," he says. "It's not about a lack of
resources -- because we're already spending the money -- it's about
realigning those resources and pulling in the same direction."

While a community forum based on the report's finding and subsequent
strategic plan is a few months away, Councillor Beauregard is
confident that the task force will be publicizing some of the findings
and proposed remedies during the summer. She is equally confident that
along with new strategies, there will be new money.

"We're very hopeful that we can keep the ball rolling."