Pubdate: Sun, 02 Jul 2000 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2000 The Province Contact: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada Fax: (604) 605-2323 Website: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/ Author: Kathy Tait YOUTH DRUG CENTRE EMPTY, UNLICENSED Like an episode out of Fawlty Towers, a drug treatment facility in Terrace is sitting fully staffed, 24 hours a day, with no patients. "Since April 1, this facility has been staffed and working seven days a week, 24 hours a day, with no clients," Liberal MLA Colin Hansen said last week in the legislature. "They do not have their licence to operate." "I'm wondering if the minister could tell us how we wind up getting into a situation where a contract is awarded for $875,000, a facility is purchased, it's fully staffed and yet they're not in a position to provide any care or any treatment?" Children's Minister Gretchen Brewin told Hansen an interim operating licence for two of the six beds was issued June 20 and a full licence is expected on July 19. "No youth have been admitted to the beds as community members continue to have difficulty with the location of this facility," said Brewin. "There are some pickets around the outside of the facility." Waiting lists for youth drug treatment are up to six months long. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk