DETOX CENTRE PARAMOUNT: KIDS USE DRUGS, EXPLOITED

Community leaders intend to form a non-profit society to try to establish a
detox centre, with a primary focus on youth, as soon as possible in Abbotsford.

That was the consensus of a meeting held in downtown Abbotsford Wednesday
night attended by about 70 people ranging from counsellors and drug addicts
to politicians and police.

It was strongly suggested that the Fraser Health Authority establish a
detox centre in the new hospital. In the meantime, a committee will be
struck to look into possibilities of establishing a facility sooner,
because the new hospital is not expected to open for at least four years.

The need for a detox centre has never been greater in Abbotsford with
children as young as six to eight years old using drugs and some being
sexually exploited by the age of 10, noted Josie Kane, substance abuse
counsellor with Abbotsford Community Services.

Funding is a huge problem with provincial government cutbacks and the
closure of the Campbell Valley treatment centre - and Abbotsford Mayor
George Ferguson said the Liberal MLAs should be held accountable for not
doing more to help young drug addicts in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.
In fact, the number of detox beds available to the Fraser Valley has
dramatically decreased since April 1, said Uultsje DeJong, chairman of the
Abbotsford Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment steering
committee.

Recently, the provincial government reorganized drug addiction services,
moving it from the Ministry for Children and Families to the Ministry of
Health Services.

The reorganization of the health system has struck a real blow to the
Fraser Valley in terms of detox beds available for young people, said
DeJong. The Coastal Health authority now claims all of the beds available
in the Vancouver Detox and Harbour Lights Detox Centre for their own
patients in their jurisdiction - leaving the Fraser Health Authority
(serving over one million people from Burnaby to Abbotsford and Boston Bar)
with only the Maple Cottage Detox Centre.

Only three beds are designated for youth out of the 22 beds available at
Maple Cottage, said De Jong.

"It's disgusting and it's unacceptable," said DeJong. "If you're a young
person who needs to go to detox, you can't wait, because three days later
you could be dead."

Ferguson said pressure needs to be applied to local MLAs such as John Les,
John van Dongen and Mike de Jong to make sure that this city gets funding
for a new detox centre.

Deputy Mayor Ed Fast noted, during the meeting, that community consensus
exists to pull together and establish a detox centre.

Some people attending the meeting said residents should not only rely on
the provincial government, but city council must show foresight and
leadership on the issue and be involved in a pro-active manner.

Ferguson said the provincial MLAs should not be off the hook on the funding
question.

After all, Abbotsford residents are paying their fair share in provincial
taxes and should be getting their fair share in resources, including a
detox centre, said the mayor.

One resident said the success of home-based detox centres also needs to be
explored.

Downtown Abbotsford is like the heart of the city -and if the heart of the
city is sick - it needs to be healed for the general health of the entire
city, explained Abbotsford Police Const. Denys Scully, chairman of the
Integrated Services Team, who works in the community policing section. He
said Abbotsford certainly needs a detox centre, but the city council also
needs to practice a balanced approach to solving some of the disturbing
crime problems, related to drugs and prostitution in downtown.

The officer favours solving the crime problems through "environmental
design" which is a practical, workable solution.

Scully noted that there "is too much concentration" of social services and
low-cost housing in the downtown area. Indeed, the city must identify and
shut down the flop houses, clean up the grimy areas, and close the
second-hand businesses and the pawn shops that foster crime and the
exchange of stolen property.

He noted that the city should ask the police for their advice on any new
development proposals in downtown Abbotsford and he does not think a detox
centre should be built in the historical downtown core.

There are three avenues available locally to deal with the problems in
historical downtown: Enforcement, social improvements and business
involvement. The first involves strict law enforcement by police, municipal
bylaw officers, regional health officers and the regulation of liquor laws,
for example, said Scully.

Social care may involve community services, education, parks and
recreation, faith and spiritual help, and the 12-step program. Business
leaders are an important component to facilitating change, said Scully.

The panel featured at the meeting included: Kane, Scully, Lucie Honey Ray
of the Abbotsford Coalition for Social Development, Fiona Brett director of
the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, and Mary Reeves executive director of
the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association.