Pubdate: Tue, 24 May 2005 Source: Daily Herald-Tribune, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 The Daily Herald-Tribune Contact: http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/804 Author: Fiona Isaacson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) GROWING NEEDS OF TROUBLED YOUTH A CHALLENGE FOR SHELTER As the number of youth using the emergency youth shelter continues to grow, there needs to be more services to deal with their needs, says Sunrise House general manager Kim Fenton. Since opening in October 2003, the emergency shelter has accommodated 165 youth between the ages of 12 and 17 for a total of 1,090 bed nights. The shelter will take kids who are high or stoned, but they're closely monitored and the hospital or AADAC resources will be accessed, if needed. About 40 per cent of the kids they take in do return home, but there are 20 per cent that Fenton says they don't know what happens to them. Fenton says since January the number of bed nights has been steadily climbing. Last month there were 73 bed nights. As well, younger and younger kids have started showing up at the shelter. They are mainly dealing with their parents' violence and addictions issues, while the older kids, the 16- and 17- year-olds, tend to have violence and addiction issues of their own. "That's two really different sets of needs that those kids come with," she says. One of the challenges youth face when trying to deal with their addiction issues is removing themselves from their "peer circle." Plus there are no services for youth in the city, she says. Fenton says they've been writing to the government asking for youth detox and treatment beds. As well, there also needs to be Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for youth, she says. "Their needs are different, they detox differently, they find their drugs differently, they use drugs for different reasons," Fenton says. The drugs of choice are mostly crack and pot but there is a rise in crystal meth usage, she says. There is also the issue of where the shelter fits in the overall picture of housing in the city and funding is an issue because children are a provincial responsibly. The city is very supportive but "they don't quite know where to put us," she says. "It's a challenge for them. We need to find a place that we fit because the need for our services is only going to grow and who knows, we already see the need for some sort of transitional housing for youth." The shelter has a unique situation because it's dealing with children who don't have family to fall back on, she says. "It's very difficult for us to do preventative work, because the family unit is already broken down." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom