Pubdate: Fri, 18 Nov 2005
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Nicky Desaulniers
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1801.a11.html

MINISTER CHALLENGED ON DETOX BEDS FOR YOUTH

In April 2004 our son was addicted to crystal meth and living on the
streets of Whalley.

We were working with his school, Surrey Reconnect and the Astra
program.

I find it sickening to see children's minister Stan Hagen say that we
have more than 100 treatment beds in B.C. (Opinion, Nov. 16).

I cannot speak for the rest of the province. But here in Vancouver
there are two-and-a-half detox beds for youth -- unless patients go
into an adult facility, which is not in the child's best interests.

As far as treatment beds are concerned, Hagen does not indicate
whether these are funded beds.

We had to pay approximately $4,000 per month for our son to receive
treatment at a facility that has a high success rate.

There are out-of-town treatment centres that don't even touch on how
our youths are supposed to cope when they come home and have to start
surviving in the real world again.

If the minister is going to write about topics as serious as this one,
it is important to me as a reader to see accurate information.

Nicky Desaulniers

Surrey
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin