SERVICES FOR ADDICTIONS IMPROVED

Interior Health: Additional Staff Members Mean Better Access To
Treatments.

In response to community consultation, the Interior Health Authority
is beefing up drug and alcohol resources in the Shuswap.

The improvements are based on information gleaned at a Salmon Arm
forum on addictions last September, hosted by IH and led by concurrent
disorder clinician Betty Keding.

A third clinician, Brett Ginter, is already on the job, helping to
reduce waitlists. The health authority is in the process of hiring a
new youth worker and more help is being made available to people
dealing with an addicted family member.

"We've tried to model a bit more of a community outreach," says
Shannon McCarthy, supervisor of alcohol and drug services for the
North Okanagan.

Local clinicians are already going to Sicamous and Enderby and
McCarthy says she is in the process of creating partnerships with
other community agencies, such as the SASCU Downtown Activity Centre,
in order to provide other services.

The full-time youth clinician, who is expected to be on the job by the
end of May, will go to the youth wherever they are.

McCarthy says the addictions team will be working closely with School
District #83-as well as child and youth mental health, noting this is
a very different model from the past where people phoned, made an
appointment and went to an office.

"A lot of the kids who have substance abuse issues are no longer
involved with the school," she says. They might been expelled for
multiple issues with their drug use and we want to make sure we are
connecting with them."

The program is already working well in Vernon and McCarthy says it's
even more critical in a small rural area where there are fewer
resources. She says it takes a specialized skill set to engage youth
and also be able to provide assessment and treatment.

"We're taking our time because we really want to ensure we have
someone who is committed to investing in the community. We want
someone who is going to go there and stay there and develop community
links so they become a resource to the community," she says. "We want
to make sure we're really living to the 'every door is the right door'
policy.

The team is also working with Children & Family Development, RCMP and
Victim Services to resolve issues in co-ordinating the provision of
services to youth.

In terms of getting timely help, McCarthy says residents can take
advantage of a drop-in service at the health unit on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday between 1:15 and 3 p.m.

"Anyone can go in and talk to a drug counselor. It's a brief meeting
where a person says 'here's what I am looking for, here are my
questions,'" she says, pointing out it could be a user or parents. The
longest wait for a set appointment is two weeks, she adds.

Sessions are also available at the health unit to educate and support
family members with the only difference being they may get only three
or four sessions instead of the six offered to users.

"We're really looking to expand group programs and hope to include
support for families," says McCarthy. "We just want to be more
responsive."

An IH mental health and addictions worker for five years, McCarthy
took over the North Okanagan position in February. She has a masters
in social work from UBC.

Aware there have been past complaints about how users are treated in
emergency rooms, McCarthy is also intent on educating medical staff.

At the end of April, health care and community service providers will
have access to an educational session with a physician who specializes
in addiction medicine.

Meanwhile in Salmon Arm, Brett Ginter joins Jackie Evans and Deenie
McAllister on the addictions team and is working with the younger
population until the new youth worker arrives.-

"We're not dealing with street people alone," he notes. "We work with
people who are gainfully employed, have homes and are hit sideways by
drugs or alcohol. These are people who are wanting help, they don't
want things to get worse."

Counsellors provide assessment, treatment and referrals to treatment
programs and also provide outpatient treatment as well as follow-up
services to clients who are maintaining sobriety.

"My job is to work myself out of a job," he says. " I don't see myself
as the be all and end all. I see myself as a catalyst for a person to
create meaningful relationships in their lives."