ADDICTION TREATMENT OPTIONS GROW

Scarborough Addiction Services Group Celebrates First Year With New Programs

Access to addiction treatment services in Scarborough is beginning to
improve thanks to a community partnership created to address a shortfall here.

The Scarborough Addiction Services Partnership recently marked its first
year in operation by celebrating the development of seven new addiction
treatment services.

"All of the addiction players in Scarborough always recognized there was a
need to bring more addiction services to Scarborough," said project manager
Felix Munger. He added the organizations never had the funding to expand
services until the ministry of health and long term care approved a pilot
project last year.

The initiative, which also receives funding from the Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health, has created partnerships between local health and social
service providers and Toronto-based addiction services in an effort to
offer more options for treatment to Scarborough residents. Funding for the
pilot project is in place until March 2003.

Munger said there were five primary groups affected by gaps in service in
Scarborough, including women, seniors, aboriginals, young people and the
ethno-racial community.

"We tried to bring initiatives (to Scarborough) that bridge those gaps,"
Munger said. He noted that most addiction services have traditionally been
offered in downtown Toronto, which is a barrier for those who live in
Scarborough.

"If you are a single mom and you have an addiction problem in Scarborough
you will have to travel downtown (to access services)," Munger said.
"Because of accessibility issues it's harder for them to take the
opportunity to go and receive treatment."

To date, the partnership has resulted in the implementation of seven new
services in the Scarborough community including:

- - Community Withdrawal Management, which assists clients in the process of
detoxification in their home environment;

- - OASIS Scarborough, which offers recovery group counseling and workplace
re-integration programs to individuals in recovery from addiction;

- - North West Scarborough Youth Addictions Service, which offers street and
community based counseling for youth 24 and under;

- - Aboriginal services, which offers counseling and referrals while
respecting beliefs and taking traditional healing concepts into account;

- - South Asian Addiction Project, which addresses addiction issues to
members of the South Asian community from a culturally appropriate perspective;

- - COPA Scarborough, which offers addiction counseling for individuals 55
and older;

- - Adeega Walaf, an addiction service developed by and for members of the
Somali community.

"They are rather small programs. Some programs have two full days a week,
some have eight hours. This is a start. We decided to do as much as
possible. We're trying to cover a base," Munger said.

Munger said the goal for the coming months is to develop an addiction
service geared toward women.

"This year we have to again look at issues around women and address the
issues of women with young children," Munger said, noting the Children's
Aid Society has identified a need in Scarborough to have women's services
because of the number of cases here due to addiction.

Project partners include Aboriginal Services at the Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health, Community Outreach for Persons with Addictions, Just For
Today Harm Reduction Centre, Oasis Addiction Recovery Society, Salvation
Army Homestead, Scarborough Hospital Addiction Program, Toronto Community
Housing Corporation, Toronto East General Hospital, Withdrawal Management
and the West Scarborough Community Neighbourhood Centre.

For details, call Munger at 647-221-2650 or visit the partnership's website
at www.scarboroughaddictionservices.org