CAMPBELL VALLEY: REHAB FACILITY IN DIRE JEOPARDY

The Campbell Valley Women's Centre will close on March 30 unless a
miracle happens, says Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White.

A south Langley facility that helps exploited young women break free
from addiction will be closed March 30.

And Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White, who has said for months that
one of his top priorities is to get the Campbell Valley Women's
Centre the funding it needs to survive, is angry.

"Due to the lack of provincial and federal government support, the
Campbell Valley Women's Centre will stop assisting our youth, yet
money is directed to areas of much less importance," said White.

The facility, which has a full-sized gymnasium, weight room, indoor
swimming pool, school, and studio, has housed a rehabilitation
program since 1999.

"We work with high risk, often sexually exploited young women," said
Terry Lee Sealy, Centre director. "We're the only residential,
intensive program in B.C."

The Centre had been funded by federal government dollars, flowing
through the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. That
money dries up this month.

"No one's taking ownership," said Sealy. "Before the Liberals got
into power, the MLAs were very supportive locally. Now, we're not
getting a lot of support and information."

One of those Liberal MLAs-turned-Cabinet Ministers, Fort
Langley-Aldergrove's Rich Coleman, said he is keeping an eye on the
situation.

"All addiction services have been moved to the Ministry of Health,"
said Coleman. "We've been waiting to see what shakes down."

With the provincial government's push towards more public-private
partnerships, it is possible that the site could be used as a
treatment centre by another charity.

The organization could raise funds by selling spaces to Alberta, as
the current management team does. Parents could also buy spaces for
their children, and the B.C. government may also contract spots.

Rumours swirl that there are local groups interested in taking just
such an approach.

The facility can house 15 women at a time. Currently, there are 12
staff members.

"They're fully supervised," said Sealy. "We have a pretty skeleton
staff and are working on a skeleton budget."

The staff is still optimistic that a last second miracle will be
found. "We work with a lot of hopelessness, so staff is very used to
dealing with that," said Sealy. "But they've seen all the changes in
the young women we work with,so they always have a lot of hope."