Pubdate: Wed, 12 Apr 2006
Source: Taber Times, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 The Taber Times
Contact:  http://www.mysouthernalberta.com/ttimes/home/index.php
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2262
Author: Garrett Simmons
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

FULL-TIME AADAC OFFICE COULD OPEN AS EARLY AS JULY

Come this summer, Taber will be home to a full-time Alberta Alcohol  
and Drug Use Commission office.

Calgary-Lougheed MLA, and AADAC chair, Dave Rodney, made the  
announcement Friday in Taber, along with AADAC CEO Murray Finnerty.

The office, which is set to open sometime this summer, will include  
two employees -- a full-time counseller and an administrative support  
employee, according to Finnerty.

A location has not yet been selected for the office, but Finnerty  
added it could be up and running as early as July.

"We'll start with hiring right away and if we find someone and  
there's a temporary space found before we can find a permanent space,  
we could be here earlier, maybe by July 1. We want to get on the  
ground."

AADAC already has full-time offices in Lethbridge, Brooks and  
Medicine Hat.

Taber will be upgraded from a visiting office to a full-time office,  
which Finnerty added will be able to serve the surrounding  
communities as well.

"It is an outpatient clinic," Finnerty said of the Taber office. "It  
will offer local outpatient service, but if there is a need for  
intensive treatment or residential care, there will be a referral  
service in place."

Those referrals could include the Lander Treatment Centre in  
Claresholm, youth intensive/residential programs in Calgary or  
Edmonton or an adventure program near Calgary.

Finnerty added AADAC is looking to expand treatment facilities beyond  
Calgary and Edmonton, and added an announcement is expected in the  
weeks to come.

It is an announcement which stems in part from the recent financial  
support for AADAC contained within the provincial budget.

"We got a $20 million increase from the government, which is  
substantial. This is the very first announcement here in Taber."

According to Finnerty, the selection of Taber for the first  
announcement came about due to the community's work in drug  
prevention strategies over the past few years. Finnerty was in Taber  
earlier this year as the Taber Community Against Drugs coalition held  
a day-long drug conference. He added community partnerships are key,  
since AADAC can't win the battle against drugs on its own.

"Taber was identified as one of our priority list of community areas,  
but it came to the top of the list with all of the community efforts  
you guys have in place. If you can move into a community that already  
has its act together, that is a win-win situation for us."

According to Rodney, the Taber office will offer individual, group  
and family counselling, along with programs to increase understanding  
and awareness of drug-related problems. He added the office will also  
focus on assessment, counselling and referral services, along with  
distributing educational materials and consulting with other  
community groups to address prevention strategies and early  
intervention.

He added AADAC viewed the upgrade to the Taber office as a positive  
step in the right direction.

"It's really important to everyone at every level of AADAC that  
people have access to the services they need as close to home as  
possible."

The office is to operate from Monday to Friday, from 8:15 a.m.-noon  
and 1-4 p.m.

"Opening this new office is about working together to make Taber a  
better and healthier place to live," added Rodney. "We will work  
together towards our goal of helping Albertans achieve freedom from  
the harmful effects of alcohol, other drugs and gambling."
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MAP posted-by: Jackl