YOUTH DRUG TREATMENT UNIT URGED BY MLA

A Red Deer MLA says the city needs a drug treatment centre for an
increasing number of youth falling prey to drugs.

Mary Anne Jablonski said she'll work with AADAC to look at opening a
treatment centre for addicted youth in Red Deer and area. "I want something
to happen in Red Deer,"said Jablonski, who has spoken to concerned parents.

"You have to start with planting the seed and keeping it watered."

Jablonski has come under fire for heading a government committee that
recommended closure of the young offenders unit of the Red Deer Remand Centre.

The government agreed to shut down the young offenders unit at the end of
June because it is deemed underutilized. An average of three youths are
detained in the unit at any one time. It is set up to handle 12, said
Jablonski.

More law-breaking youth are completing their sentences in the community,
reducing the number in detention centres. Red Deer youth will be
transported to Edmonton and Calgary detention centres, which are also
housing reduced populations, said Jablonski.

But parents and remand centre staff have argued that the province won't
save money because the young offenders will need to be transported back and
forth to Red Deer for court appearances.

They said young offenders will be removed from their community, and poor
parents will have a difficult time arranging the transportation to visit them.

Hearing the concerns, Jablonski concluded that young people need a local
drug treatment centre to turn them around. She said drugs are often to
blame for youths breaking the law.

A father told her about his 14-year-old son who became a drug addict and
spent time at the remand centre. "He said that short of tying him up to
keep him home, he couldn't control his son. He kept getting into trouble,"
said Jablonski, adding that she heard similar stories from other parents.

"We need to make people aware that crystal meth is a very dangerous drug.
It is cheap and easy to find, and people can become addicted quickly," said
Jablonski.

Methamphetamine, a stimulant also known as speed and crystal meth, has
become increasingly popular in Central Alberta, according to police.

A highly addictive stimulant, crystal meth is relatively plentiful because
it's easily made using inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. The drug
keeps users awake for days.

Staff of the remand centre, who met with Jablonski last month, said 82 per
cent of young people detained in the youth unit in the last year had drug
problems and 58 per cent had alcohol-related problems.

"The more frightening statistic is that 42 per cent of those youths have a
history of or were in fact suicidal at the time of incarceration at the
remand centre," said a letter from the staff to Jablonski.

"Some inmates claim there is more crack cocaine and crystal meth in this
area now than there is on Vancouver Island," said a letter from a
corrections worker.

Staff of the remand centre want the young offenders unit to stay open
because they believe the offenders fare well in a small centre staffed by
workers familiar with the community. The youth unit already provides
counselling through AADAC and includes a school, they said.

Staff said they've received support from Mayor Gail Surkan and the RCMP
because closure of the unit will mean more police costs. The RCMP will be
responsible for transporting law-breaking youth after hours and on
weekends, said staff.

Craig Staniforth, manager the local AADAC, said addicted youth in Red Deer
are generally sent for treatment to Edmonton and Calgary treatment centres.
AADAC also offers counselling at its Red Deer office.

"We certainly do see youth on dangerous drugs who need residential
treatment," said Staniforth. But he said he didn't have statistics to
confirm a treatment centre is needed in Red Deer.

Staniforth said he looks forward to working with Jablonski to study the issue.