Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN) Copyright: 2006 The Leader-Post Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361 Author: Anne Kyle, Leader-Post SASK. MOVES TO BOOST NEW LAW Recognizing that drug-addicted teens need to deal with the root cause of their addictions has prompted the provincial government to amend its Youth Drug Detoxification and Stabilization Act. "We know there is a huge overlap between mental-health issues and addictions, and it is not really clear which comes first in most cases,'' said Healthy Living Services Minister Graham Addley. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter which comes first because you've got to treat the person not just their symptoms. So you've got to make sure the addiction professionals and the mental-health professionals are working together.'' In March the government enacted the legislation empowering parents and guardians to force drug-addicted youths aged 12 to 17 -- who are a danger to themselves and others and resistant to interventions -- into detoxification to rid their bodies of any drugs or alcohol, sober up and stabilize their health. "I committed last fall when the legislation was first introduced that we would continue to review it and ensure we improve it because this is groundbreaking legislation,'' Addley said during an interview Tuesday. In response to concerns raised by the Children's Advocate, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Saskatchewan Medical Association and others, a number of amendments were introduced this month. The concerns that had been expressed were that within the legislation there wasn't any explicit after-care provisions once the youths had gone through the detoxification process, Addley said. "It was felt the five days or up to 15 days spent on (secure) in-patient detoxification and stabilization is not treatment. It is meant to get the chemicals out of the body so that the person is in a place where they can make healthy choices about their future,'' he said. "It was expressed by many that we should ensure that there is an after-care laid out for the young person." While it wasn't specifically stated in the legislation, Addley said, in practice an addictions professional is assigned to work with any youth who goes through the detoxification process and links the youth back to the supports in their own community, he said. The proposed amendment would require addictions workers to develop, whenever possible, a care plan for young people who are released from the secure care facility. This will help to ensure that young people will receive continued services and support within their home communities. "We want to ensure every child in Saskatchewan has the best possible chance to grow up free from addiction,'' Addley said. But, he added there are no guarantees as treatment is strictly voluntary. "We can't force them into treatment. But you do everything that you possibly can and you hope that the young person will make the right choices,'' Addley said. Since Saskatchewan proclaimed and implemented this legislation, Alberta and Manitoba have introduced similar legislation, he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath