SECOND DRUG FORUM SET FOR TUESDAY

Gary Soltys believes the drug abuse problem in Westmoreland County and
western Pennsylvania can be reduced through one simple act: talking.

But that means parents "really" talking to their children, and spending time
with them and getting to know them as people, said Soltys, the director of
multisystemic therapy services at Adelphoi USA's Latrobe center.

And it means parents need to know their children's friends - who they are,
what they're like, what they do with their free time.

"I think it would reduce the drug problem. I think it will improve how the
drug problem is handled. We might get more kids into treatment than are
arrested," Soltys said.

"The deeper issues are to create the relationship."

Soltys will moderate a panel of six other professionals, all of whom deal
regularly deal with children, at Tuesday's "Understanding and managing drug
abuse," the second in a series of forums on drugs sponsored by the Latrobe
Elks. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Soltys, whose center deals daily with more than 600 children with behavioral
problems, said he is not blaming parents for the drug problem. But how
parents interact with their children is important.

"They need to sit down and talk about it," Soltys said of drugs. "(Not) 'I
just attended this seminar - and let's go search your room.' "

The Elks' second presentation on drugs follows a year in which Westmoreland
County witnessed a dramatic rise in accidental drug overdoses, especially
from heroin.

In 2002, 23 people died from accidental drug overdoses in the county, 13
related to heroin, according to the county coroner's office. Between 1997
and 2001, there were 40 drug-related fatalities, including six from heroin.
County Coroner Ken Bacha said there are no more drug cases from 2002
awaiting a ruling by his office.

But already this year, heroin was a factor in the death of a 51-year- old
Greensburg man on Jan. 3 in Greensburg, Bacha said. He wouldn't rule on some
other cases until toxicology results are done.

Most of the heroin-related overdoses last year involved people in their 20s
or 30s. Experts said heroin use is on the rise among the young for several
reasons, including low cost and availability.

A purer form of the drug than was available decades ago also allows users to
smoke or snort heroin, at least initially. Many beginning heroin users
believe - or are told - that they can't become addicted if they snort or
sniff the drug. But that's not true, experts said. And most of these early
users go on to inject heroin.

Other heroin users are moving on to the drug after using other substances.

Bacha said the drug and heroin overdoses are expected to continue this year.

"We were sort of informed by authorities - state, federal and local - there
is maybe going to be a lot more," he said. "They told us to brace ourselves.
They said it's all over the place."

Substance addiction also can lead to other problems, including crimes to
obtain money for the drugs.

Stephanie Madl, clinical supervisor for Southwestern Pennsylvania Human
Services and a panelist Tuesday, plans to use brochures to stress the
importance of dialogue between parents and children.

"One of the things I want to recommend is, with the brochures we'll be
passing out, to sit down and go over it with them," Madl said. "That
educates the child and the parent."

Elks Club Manager Bill Elliott said another reason for the summit is to show
parents and users options if they are dealing with a drug problem. The first
summit, held in October, focused on drug education and the extent of the
Westmoreland County drug problem, especially heroin.

"What we got from the last (summit) is people don't know where to go if they
have a problem," Elliott said. "We're just trying to get people in touch
with the right agencies if they have a problem or think they have a
problem."

Madl, a licensed professional counselor and a certified addiction counselor,
also has another message for the summit: Heroin is definitely a problem,
"but the cocaine, the marijuana, the alcohol haven't gone away," she said.
"They're still out there. We just see a lot of heroin addiction right now."

Madl's agency has five treatment facilities in Westmoreland and Fayette
counties. Her group offers both outpatient and intensive outpatient
treatments.

Madl said that for about 80 percent of her agency's clients, alcohol is the
primary drug of choice. Most of the clients are in treatment because of a
court order.

Donna Kean, executive director of the St. Vincent College Prevention
Projects and another panelist, said her group's presentations about drugs
are done at the elementary, secondary and high school levels. There is a
cost.

"If a school wants a K-12 program, we'll be able to present the whole lesson
materials and do a program for them at every grade level," she said. "We
make them age appropriate."

Topics include the effects drugs have on the body, as well as showing
children how to deal with peer pressure and make good decisions.

Role playing is one technique used to demonstrate to the children how to
deal with peer pressure - another factor in the rising use of heroin and
other drugs.

The prevention project also offers support group services, which are more
intensive and aimed at particular students.

The program has been in all 17 public school districts in Westmoreland
County, Kean said.

"We're in the schools every day," she said.

The Elks' Elliott said more forums are planned.

"We're thinking of having two or three more of these if the public's
interested," he said.

Details

What: "Understanding and managing drug abuse"

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Elks Club on Route 981 in Derry Township, north of Latrobe.

Who: Panel consisting of Joe Boggio, a Westmoreland County juvenile
probation officer; Gib Stemmler, Westmoreland County Children's Bureau;
Stephanie Madl, Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services; Brian Zemba, McKee
Home in Jeannette; Donna Kean, St. Vincent College Prevention Project; and
Latrobe police Chief Charles Huska. Gary Soltys, of Adelphoi USA, is the
moderator.