ADDICTS' NEEDS TEMPORARILY PUT ON HOLD

Many of Chilliwack's addicts will face their challenges alone next
month when the city's only drug and alcohol counselling clinic closes
its doors.

Chilliwack Alcohol and Drug Services (CADS) is funded by the Fraser
Health Authority, and facilitated by the Salvation Army-which recently
decided it wanted out of the agreement. When CADS's contract expires
on March 31, it will close indefinitely and its staff of six will be
laid off.

According to Fraser Valley Health's addiction leader Sherry Mumford,
the health authority usually schedules the end of one contract with
the beginning of another to create an overlap in service. This time
around, the Salvation Army didn't give much notice, she said,
resulting in next month's closure-which is only temporary, stretching
about four weeks. In the meantime, hundreds of people relying on the
current clinic (located in on the third floor of the Epcon Centre on
Yale Road) will lose their strongest crutch in battles against booze,
cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, and/or marijuana addiction.

James Knight is one of many recovering addicts who regularly receives
private and group counselling.

"It helped me through the bad times," he said Wednesday.

Knight and many others are concerned a new contract will bring new
councillors. After months of sharing his innermost thoughts and
feelings, he isn't about to start over.

"If it's somebody different for me and my wife we won't go because
it's a trust issue," he said.

"When you talk to a councillor sometimes it's personal stuff_I think
they're going to lose people if they change things around."

During the closure, drug and alcohol addicts will have to travel to
service centres in Agassiz, Hope or Abbotsford for help. Knight said
that simply isn't an option-not only because many clients don't have
cars, but because they refuse to bear their souls to councillors
they've never met.

Until that new staff is named-or the old staff is rehired-hundreds of
Chilliwack's users will face their addiction alone. About 10 new
people walk through the clinic's doors each week-which pushed last
year's client numbers over 650. This year, the need for help is even
greater.

According to CADS drug and alcohol prevention therapist Alistair
Jappy, 24 youth walked through his doors as of March 1-nine more than
the same date last year.

"That's our major concern," he said.

"Just as much as its difficult for us it's difficult for families,
it's difficult for clients and it's going to be difficult for the
community. It's a big step for them to come here and now the door's
going to be shut."

Mumford recognizes CADS's importance, so she and her staff are working
diligently towards landing a new partner to run the valuable program.

"We're really concerned about our clients' needs in Chilliwack, but I
know there are some people there who are in a state of panic about
this," she said. "People are not being left to hang out to dry at
all_If people can hang in there for four weeks or so we'll have
another clinic up and running," she said.

"We are all working our butts off to get this clinic up and running
again for our clientele."

Many of Jappy's clients receive counselling in conjunction with court
orders. He said community partners including local schools, Chilliwack
Community Services, and police have been informed about CADS's
closure, but nobody knows exactly what to expect during April's
closure. "We're the hub for addiction services in Chilliwack_we're the
first contact and without us, I don't know where people are going to
go."