Pubdate: Sat, 24 Sep 2005
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2005 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Anne Kyle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

ABORIGINALS GET NEW HEALTH TRAINING

The federal government is spending $851,000 to deliver prevention, 
awareness, community education (PACE) training to 340 aboriginal and Inuit 
addictions and mental health workers from across Canada.

"This project will have a far-reaching effect. By training these skilled 
and experienced community workers in the prevention of crystal 
methamphetamine abuse, we are strengthening our response to this very 
serious health threat," said federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh during a 
stopover in Regina.

Addictions councillors Wilfred Whitehawk and Sherryl Mydonick of Yorkton, 
who will benefit from the additional training, said education is the first 
step towards prevention. It is everybody's job to be aware of the problem 
of drug abuse and the devastating affects crystal meth addiction has on 
individuals, their families and communities they said.

Calling crystal meth "a curse and a very dangerous drug," Dosanjh announced 
Friday that the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) will 
deliver the 30-hour PACE certification program aimed at equipping addiction 
and mental health councillors with the skills to educate and train others 
in an effort to prevent crystal meth abuse in their communities.

"This is a very positive step," said Pasqua First Nations Chief Elaine 
Chicoose, who earlier this month announced her band had adopted a zero 
tolerance policy on illegal drug activities on the reserve aimed at 
addressing the growing problems of drug use and abuse within her First 
Nations community.

"Providing aboriginal addiction and mental health workers with more 
training to identify the deep rooted problems that lead to drug use and 
abuse is something we could really use right now. We have been asking for a 
long time now for government resources to provide programming and support 
to help alleviate the problems of First Nations drug and alcohol addiction 
in our communities," Chicoose said.

Over the next three years Health Canada will be spending more than $6.1 
million under Canada's drug strategy Community Initiatives Fund in Western 
Canada to address substance abuse -- including crystal meth -- and to 
promote public awareness of substance abuse issues.

The federal government is contributing more than $71 million over the next 
three years for national, regional and community initiatives aimed at 
addressing substance abuse in Canada including $29 million under the Drug 
Strategy Community Initiatives Fund and $42 million through the Alcohol and 
Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Program.

Under the community initiatives Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services Inc. 
will receive nearly $58 ,000 to develop a crystal meth informational video 
project.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom