ADDICTION SERVICES ARE BACK IN TOWN

A non-profit organization that has already been active in Chilliwack for 10
years has been awarded the contract to provide addictions services within
the city.

Pacific Community Resources Society has a one-year contract with the Fraser
Health Authority to run Chilliwack Addiction and Prevention Services (CAPS)
programs.

"We've had an ASTRA worker in Chilliwack for 10 years and, two or three
months ago, we were awarded a contract for a school-based addictions
prevention worker," says Pacific Community Resources Society addictions
services manager, Tom Heatherington. "We plan to integrate these positions
with the contract we have just got, to create a six-person team in Chilliwack."

The position of supervisor of the new office has been offered to, and
accepted by, former Agassiz-Harrison Community Services worker, Nancy
Ossinger. A general posting for the remaining positions has been printed in
a number of newspapers and refers would-be applicants to a website.

"We certainly encourage the former Chilliwack Alcohol and Drug Services
counsellors to apply," says Mr. Heatherington. "But we are not
automatically offering them the job."

The new CAPS main office will be in Suite 101-45389 Luckakuck Way, behind
Ricky's Restaurant and immediately next to John Les' office. There will
also be an informal partnership with Chilliwack Community Services to allow
for a co-location and therefore easily-accessible services on either side
of the highway.

"Chilliwack Community Services wants to establish a youth resource centre
likely through renting some new space," continues Mr. Heatherington. "Our
co-locating with them is dependent upon them getting that contract through
the Ministry of Children and Families. If they don't get the contract,
we'll still work with them, and with other agencies."

The city's new CAP program will involve more outreach - especially with
youth - than in the past. It will also make use of community partnerships
such as outlined above and offer an increased amount of group work.

"We only got confirmation of our contract on May 3," says Mr.
Heatherington. "So we've been scrambling to get up and running." The
Luckakuck Way office will open on May 17 and, for the time being, as there
is only one worker, it will be open solely for emergencies. It's expected
to be another three or four weeks until the operation is fully "up to speed."

Until the land lines are in operation, the office will make use of a cell
phone at 604-845-1403. It is a local number and will be 'manned' weekdays
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Regular office hours will be 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with appointments available
from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

"CAP will arrange to meet clients either at their home, or at our office,"
says Mr. Heatherington. "And CADS staff are helping us by making a list of
its current clients with addresses. We're intending to keep in closed
boxes, all open files. CADS clients transferring to us will have to sign a
release in order for us to make use of their file so that information won't
be lost."

The Luckakuck Way office will boast a addiction prevention resource room.
It will include materials, displays and lesson plans for teachers, parents,
PAC groups, students and clients. In time, qualified volunteers will be
used to work on prevention within the community.

He says that CAPS intends to build on the good work of CADS, and that it
was never the quality of the former group's work that was the problem and
saw the program close. "It was a case of the Salvation Army no longer
wanting that contract," Mr. Heatherington says.

Pacific Community Resources Society has been in operation for 20 years. It
makes use of qualified counsellors working within the society and is
accredited by CARF (formally known as the Council of Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities).

To learn more, visit www.pcrs.ca.