NEIGHBORS WORRY ABOUT SECURITY

Joe was just an average kid. He worked hard in school, played ball,
had lots of friends. He was the all-American kid who lived next door.

Gradually his parents noticed a loss of appetite, less interest in his
family and more interest in a new group of friends. They found out the
hard way, after their son had developed a criminal record, that he was
addicted to heroin.

The family fell apart after that.

Up until now a heroin addict in northern Delaware had two choices:
incarceration in Gander Hill or death, according to one mother of a
25-year-old addict.

On Monday, a resident treatment center, Delaware Fresh Start, was
opened in Newark to work with 18 to 25 year olds, primarily with
heroin addiction.

The 20-bed, co-ed program, housed on Independence Way just off West
Chestnut Hill Road, is operated by Gaudenzia, Inc., a Pennsylvania
based organization with 40 other treatment centers in Pennsylvania and
Maryland.

The State of Delaware Dept. of Health and Social Services recognized
the need for a residential treatment facility for heroin addicts
within the state and developed an extensive application process.
Gaudenzia was the successful bidder, according to Jack Kemp, director
of the state department.

Clients coming to the center will already have gone through a de-tox
program and will be assessed by the state before being referred to
Gaudenzia.

The profile of a typical client to the treatment program is one who
has developed a dependency on drugs and whose life has now become
unmanageable. Often they have a history with the criminal justice
system. The greatest number of heroin addicts in the state are 18 to
25 years old.

"One requirement by the state was that we focus on this population,"
George Davis, division director for Gaudenzia, said. Last year there
were 137 heroin-related deaths in Delaware.

The clients must come voluntarily to the program and be self-motivated
to making changes in their lifestyle.

What makes Gaudenzia unique is the treatment program based on the
"therapeutic community." Each participant will have work assignments
(kitchen duty, laundry, etc.), group discussions and seminars, group
and individual counseling sessions and recreational activities. They
are involved all day in activities designed to help them learn from
each other and develop a sense of community.

"In the therapeutic community, treatment is delivered through the
groups and the environment itself," Davis explained.

As addicts, the clients had already alienated themselves from their
families and their community and now must learn how to re-connect with
their families again. The program will encourage Sunday visitations
from their families and hold regular educational seminars.

The community group also works on anger management, helping the
clients deal with confrontations, frustrations, and disappointments,
focusing on the "here and now."

Educational classes will also be available for those who do not have
high school diplomas.

The staff realizes that the client must return to society eventually
and works on the re-entry phase of treatment by taking them to plays,
museums, and ballgames - places they would not ordinarily visit - to
work on their socialization skills.

Neighbors worry

There are no bars on the windows. No security guards at the doors.
Each bedroom will be alarmed and motion detectors will be outside on
the grounds. Counselors will know at all times where each client is.

Gaudenzia is also committed to being actively involved with the
community where the facilities are located, officials said. A
community advisory board will be set up with representatives from the
local community groups. Likewise Gaudenzia staff will be involved with
organizations in the area, such as hospitals, the university and civic
groups. The clients will also be involved in community service projects.

Because of its close proximity to residential neighborhoods, several
concerns were raised at a community meeting held last week in the gym
of the center. More than 100 West Chestnut Hill Road residents attended.

Questions about security were most prevalent. What would be the
procedure if someone did leave the facility?

At the meeting Michael Link, Eastern regional director of Gaudenzia,
told the residents the program is voluntary. If an individual is in
their program, a current client, and any property is damaged in the
neighborhood, Gaudenzia would be responsible. However, if a client
leaves the program voluntarily or is discharged, Gaudenzia is not
responsible.

At a later date, Davis placed a call to the New Castle County police
and discussed the community's concern with them. If someone does leave
the property, a phone call will be made to the police immediately and
the police officers will patrol the area.

Link assured the residents that Gaudenzia was there to work with
them.

"It takes both us and you to make this happen," Link said. "We believe
in what we do. Our goal is to save lives."