Pubdate: Sat, 10 May 2008
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Tim Shufelt
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

WHITE AIMS TO RAISE MILLIONS FOR YOUTH DRUG TREATMENT CENTRE

Tim Shufelt The Ottawa Citizen

Ottawa's long wait for a youth drug treatment centre will soon come 
to an end, says Police Chief Vern White. In fact, he says he is going 
to start raising money for the project himself.

With the province on board, Chief White met with Municipal Affairs 
Minister and Ottawa West-Nepean MPP Jim Watson yesterday to discuss 
the timing of an announcement and approaches to raising money.

"I've always said, 'If we build it, they'll come.' Now I've got to 
live up to my end, and we have to get some private-sector support," 
Chief White said.

He has a fundraising target in the $3-million to $5-million range, he 
said. "I'm out trying to muster support from a capital perspective, 
and I'm trying to get help with that. I'm not a fundraiser."

Chief White said he's enlisted the help of United Way chief executive 
Michael Allen for advice on how to get Ottawans to dig deep.

But the police chief said he has faith that the city's philanthropic 
heart will be sparked by a project that addictions workers have been 
advocating for 20 years.

It will be the first residential facility in Ottawa dedicated to 
treating youths between 13 and 17.

The most recent proposal calls for a 15-bed facility on the west side 
of the city and a separate five-bed facility for French-speaking 
youth on the east side.

The plan awaits approval from the board of the Champlain Local Health 
Integration Network later this month. A funding announcement from the 
province should follow soon after, Chief White said.

"I'm hoping we'll see a formal announcement before the (legislature) 
rests in June," he said.

Estimates on when the facilities will actually be running depend on 
whether health planners decide to build from scratch or retrofit an 
existing building in West Carleton for the anglophone location.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom