Pubdate: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 Source: St. Albert Gazette (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 St. Albert Gazette Contact: http://www.stalbertgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2919 Author: Mark Wells Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) MLA CALLS FOR TEAM EFFORT Health System Gears Up for Meth Addiction While a growing number of families struggle with crystal meth addiction, government agencies are scrambling to co-ordinate prevention and treatment strategies. "These patients are much more psychotic, they're sicker, they're more aggressive. [Emergency units] tend to see them and they tend to end up in secure treatment," said Dr. Patrick J. White, Capital Health's regional clinical program director for psychiatry. White also works on the front lines with beds at Alberta Hospital. He says he and his colleagues have seen the problem boom in the last two to three years, with patients coming from across the region. The Royal Alexandra Hospital saw 4,500 psychiatric assessments last year, while other hospitals in the region had between 2,500 and 3,500 assessments. A significant number of those assessments, up to 60 per cent, also identify substance abuse problems. The combination of mental health issues and substance abuse calls for a concerted effort between emergency and internal medical professions, as well as psychiatry and mental health, White said. "I see patients quite frequently from St. Albert with these problems," he said. "In my own clinical experience they tend to be younger patients in the 18-22 age group, which is a huge concern ... you have a significant number of patients developing chronic, psychotic, or psychiatric symptoms. That has huge implications for treatment services." Solutions are being devised in an AADAC review of services requested by the Alberta Mental Health Board and through the co-ordinated efforts of Capital Health and the police. One of the biggest problems facing these groups lies in getting patients referred to appropriate treatment. Many are referred directly from emergency rooms after a psychotic episode, but an unknown number try to seek help before such a crisis. One St. Albert mother told of her own difficulties at the "Growing Up in St. Albert" forum Tuesday. "As far as I understand there aren't any [treatment services]. I've left five or six messages with AADAC and never, ever had a call returned," said the woman, who identified herself only as Carrie. "You can go to Edmonton or Sherwood Park, but there's nothing here ... It goes beyond just crystal meth. It's crack cocaine and pot. There's a large amount of parents trying to help their kids and not getting any support." St. Albert Liberal MLA Jack Flaherty was at a caucus meeting in Calgary when the forum was held, but he has heard similar concerns from residents. "AADAC is not doing the job, if that's the agency that's supposed to be doing it. We're talking about gaps in service. We're assuming these things [treatment] are happening and they're not," he said. He also criticized AADAC for bungling a stop-smoking hotline which has been giving out incorrect contact information for nicotine cessation treatments for the past seven months. Flaherty praised school boards, which have DARE prevention programs and drug-sniffing dogs in schools, but said those initiatives need to be scrutinized for their effectiveness and seen as part of a larger program. He wants the community directly involved in refining access to treatment. "All these boards are doing their very best and I want to bring their concerns forward," he said. Red Deer Conservative MLA Mary-Anne Jablonski is expected to introduce a private member's bill which would allow youth with severe addictions to be held in secure treatment. Critics have said the bill will not hold up to a legal challenge if it is passed. Dr. White wouldn't comment on the merit of the bill, but said it was a positive development, because it indicates greater public awareness of the problem and government willingness to deal with it. - ---