DRUG AND ALCOHOL CENTRE CLOSING

The Salvation Army has not renewed its contract with the Fraser Health
Authority to operate the drug and alcohol centre in the Ebcon Centre
on Yale Road.

For its part, the Health Authority has now made the finding of a new
contractor and the opening of a new clinic, "a top priority."

"We are not abandoning the centre's clients, and we are absolutely
concerned about the situation," says Fraser Health Authority
addictions leader, Sherry Mumford. "Chilliwack won't permanently be
without an alcohol and drug addictions clinic. The longest time will
be one month."

Though she's not sure just where the new clinic will be, she promises
Chilliwack will have a drug and alcohol clinic up and running sometime
in April.

"The Salvation Army served us notice of its decision in early February
and the contract ends March 31," says Ms. Mumford. "They gave us
notice in writing, and now it's our job to act on their decision."

At this "very moment," she says, the Fraser Health Authority is
advertising for interested parties to submit applications to take on
the addictions centre.

"We're aware of the need," Ms. Mumford underlines. "And it never was
our intention to not have a clinic in Chilliwack. We're telling
clients the contractor didn't wish to renew, and we're getting a new
contractor as soon as possible."

The Fraser Health Authority recognizes that the client load is
increasing in every one of its alcohol and drug counselling centers.
Even with Chilliwack getting approximately 40 new clients a month, it
is not unique. All such clinics have a waiting list.

Until the new Chilliwack clinic opens, current clients or those in
crisis can make use of the clinics in Abbotsford or Agassiz. The
about-to-close clinic has operated from the Ebcon Center for the last
six or seven years.

Salvation Army public relations spokesperson, Capt. John Murray,
explains that the army reviews its programs annually and, like any
organization, can only use the resources it has.

"We're stretched to capacity with our social services programs," says
Capt. Murray. "And the decision was made that this service, at this
time, could better be resumed by another agency or
organization."

The Salvation Army has a large presence in Chilliwack with its two
thrift stores, food bank, soup kitchen, and church. And, though it's
giving up the drug and alcohol counselling centre, it is thinking of
opening a detox centre in Chilliwack by June 1.

"We still have compassion," says Capt. Murray. "But we're redeploying
our assets in a different way in order that we can support the
community in a different capacity."

He notes that the Salvation Army still has a residential drug and
alcohol program in Mission but, like all responsible organizations, it
has a responsibility to review the effectiveness of all programs and
to use its resources in the most-effective manner possible.

"We have run the drug and alcohol program in Chilliwack for a number
of years," Capt. Murray concludes. "And now, we celebrate the fact
that the program will continue with another agency."