Pubdate: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 Source: Toronto Star (CN ON) Copyright: 2005 The Toronto Star Contact: http://www.thestar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456 Author: Rita Daly DETOX CLOSING DRAWS PROTEST 20 Beds Lost At West Toronto Site Ministry 'Does Not Care If Addicts Die' A 20-bed detox centre on Queen St. W. will close today as planned, despite protests from community workers who say a shift to outpatient services for alcohol and drug addicts is more about saving money than lives. Faced with a barrage of criticism in recent weeks, the Ontario health ministry will delay the October closing of 22 beds at another treatment facility on Ossington Ave. until April 2006, when a new community-based detox program is open. Street workers and addiction counsellors said, however, they will keep fighting the closings in a bid to reverse the decision. During a noisy rally yesterday at 501 Queen St. W., which closes today, community activists criticized the province for a plan to remove 42 of 136 detox beds operated by five of the city's hospitals. Six new beds will eventually open, leaving a total of 100. That's not enough to serve people battling addictions, especially the homeless or transient who can't be treated in a home-based or community setting, said activist Sarah Dover. "The Ministry of Health does not care if addicts die," she shouted to a small, boisterous crowd of health workers and addiction counsellors, as well as detox users who said they relied on beds as a safe place to take a break from drugs or alcohol. But ministry and hospital officials say there will still be plenty of beds available for those who need them, while others can be better served through community programs. "You take those people out of the beds and you have more capacity to serve those who need beds," said David Spencer, press secretary to Health Minster George Smitherman. Critics say the closings are money-saving measures, but Spencer said the province intends to invest more money in addiction services. The current beds-only system is overdue for restructuring, said Peter Selby, director of the addictions program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. "Before we ask government to throw more money at this, we first have to become more efficient," he said, noting beds are empty at times because detox centre workers can handle only so many acute cases at once. At yesterday's rally, frontline workers told a different story, calling the situation a bed-shortage crisis. "The first step to getting clean and sober is to enter detox," said Joel Richmond, an addiction counsellor and self-described alcoholic who used detox facilities until he achieved sobriety in December 1990. "But many times I've had to tell clients that we have no beds." The ensuing battle over the detox beds has pitted community agencies against the hospitals that run them. A coalition of frontline workers was formed in anger that they weren't consulted earlier on the closings. Dr. Bob Bell, president and CEO of the University Health Network that runs the Ossington facility, said the closing of that site is being postponed because of community concerns. "We've obviously talked to the ministry and agree we should keep the facility open until there are adequate resources available," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman