Pubdate: Thu, 27 Feb 2003
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM OFFERED IN MANY LANGUAGES

Help is on the way for people with drug and alcohol problems.

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) announces the 
beginning of a drug and alcohol counselling program.

This one-stop centre will assist people dealing with drug and/or alcohol 
dependency by providing counseling. A certified counsellor will provide 
counseling for individuals, groups, families, children and adult children 
of alcoholics and drug addicts.

These services are for individuals of any age, financial and cultural 
background.

Counseling will be provided in English, Punjabi and Hindi and proper 
provisions will be made to refer culturally sensitive individuals to 
appropriate places.

Other services that will also be provided include anger management, 
conflict resolution and a community re-entry program.

The approach that will be used is the "bio-psycho-social-spiritual" and 
client-centered approach. By using this holistic approach, PICS expects to 
be able to deal with other troublesome aspects of an individual's life.

There will be a mutually agreed upon treatment plan designed for 
individuals by keeping in mind their beliefs, values and traditions.

"Our program will be culturally sensitive and appropriate," said Charan 
Gill, executive director of PICS. "We are responding to community needs and 
will focus on preventive measures."

The program will also include a thorough follow-up and after-care program. 
The counsellor will encourage a 12-Step program with prevention through 
educational and anger management workshops.

For more information, call Maninder Bajwa at 604-596-7722.

The Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society is located at 109, 
12414-82nd Ave., Surrey.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart