DRUG PROGRAM PILOT

PARRY SOUND - The Parry Sound District has been designated as a pilot
site for the District Social Services Administration Board's
'Mandatory Addictions Treatment Program.' The Parry Sound District
will be one of four jurisdictions across the province to be involved
in the pilot stage of the initiative.

Councillor Conrad van der Valk represents Parry Sound on the DSSAB and
told council of the board's announcement at its regular meeting Jan.
22. He said that by 2005, all jurisdictions in the province will be
required to implement this initiative.

The main components of the program are screening, assessment and
treatment of addictions for applicants and participants who are
experiencing barriers to employment created by substance abuse of
alcohol, illicit drugs and prescription drugs. For clients who fail to
meet the program requirements progressive sanctions will apply until
such time as compliance is achieved, he said.

As an early site Parry Sound will be 100 per cent funded by the
province for the development and implementation of the addiction
program, with an initial injection of up to $150,000 and ongoing
funding in excess of $400,000 at maturity.

The preliminary proposal has been completed with Addictions Outreach,
a meeting has taken place between the province and the other early
sites to discuss go-live dates.

The target for start up in Parry Sound is Feb. 1, 2002. This
initiative has posed several challenges, Mr. van der Valk said.

"Aside from the instant-start expectations from the province the
proposal team were required to vision the development of the Mandatory
Addiction Treatment program, draft the work plan, write the proposal
and consider implementation plans."

The project will result in three positions being created, two of which
will be resident to the DSSAB and the third will be seconded to
Addictions Outreach.

The designated pilot sites will have considerable discretion, however
all sites agree that highly qualified professional individuals who
operate within an accountability framework will be sought.

"This is, arguably, the most important and perhaps controversial
initiative the province has announced in the last five years,
particularly when measured against the high proportion of hard to
employ clients that now typify our DSSAB's caseload," Mr. van der Valk
said. "However, staff are confident that Parry Sound will be
successful in this venture and will make a substantive contribution to
the eventual province wide implementation of this program."