HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-11-16, Page 11The Huron Expositor • November 16, 2005 Page 11
News
Huron Addiction Service needs more funding
People seeking help for addiction is steadily climbing, says program supervisor
Mark N o n k e s
ONIESSONSIED
Huron Addiction Service is craving an
increase in funding to maintain its coun-
selling and support services, a recent
report announced.
The annual report produced for the
provincial government by Alex Berry,
supervisor of the program, outlined fund-
ing shortages and the agency's struggle to
maintain current services.
"There is way more need here in this
county than we can fulfill," Berry said in
a recent interview in his office located at
the Health Unit building just south of
Clinton.
The provincially -funded program offers
treatment and counselling for people
struggling with alcohol, drugs and gam-
bling. Family members of people with
addictions can also turn to the service for
assistance.
"What we're trying to do is provide the
best service we can and tread water,"
Berry said. "We've been treading water
for years."
However, to compensate for the fund-
ing shortages, Berry said administrative
Christmas Bureau bag
provided for annual donation
Alex Berry
staff positions have been reduced and
minimized. While the amount of counsel-
lors coaching people with addictions has
The Huron County
Christmas Bureau will
get a boost next week
as community newspa-
pers across next coun-
ty take part in the
Christmas bag pro-
gram for the eighth
year.
In next week's Huron
Expositor, subscribers
will find a brown paper
bag sponsored by the
newspaper and several
businesses and indus-
tries.
Printed on the bag,
along with sponsor
information, are
details of where each
of the county bureaus
are located and times,
gifts and food can be
dropped off.
It also provides
information for people
who may need help
this Christmas on how
to reach the bureau
and register.
Each year, the
bureau collects food
and gifts that assist
more than 1,000 chil-
dren and their families
across the county.
Spearheaded by the
Seaforth Huron
Expositor, the Seaforth
Lions Club and the
Seaforth Agricultural
Society, newspapers
across the county
joined forces to pro-
mote the use of the
bags.
The Christmas
Bureau served 1,087
children and their fam-
ilies in 2004, four more
children than the year
before and an increase
of 14 from 2002.
"Since 2000, we have
been creeping up in
numbers and that's not
a good thing," says
Joan Van den Broeck,
of the Huron -Perth
Children's Aid Society.
In Seaforth, the
numbers of children
using the service
climbed last year by 21
children up to 141 in
total with 59 families.
Earlier, Seaforth
numbers rose from 92
in 2001, 108 in 2002
and 120 children in
2003.
The number of
Seaforth families
increased from 48 in
2002 to 51 in 2003.
Van den Broeck says
the Christmas bag pro-
gram is an "incredibly
important" part of the
annual drive for the
Christmas Bureau.
"Without the commu-
nity, there would be no
Christmas Bureau.
What happens for one
week determines if
others have a
Christmas. You have
one week to think of
your neighbour and if
you don't, your neigh-
bour might not have a
Christmas," she says.
She reminds donors
not to forget the teens
and pre -teens when
buying gifts for local
children.
This year, Christmas
bureaus are located at
First Presbyterian
Church in Seaforth, St.
Joseph's Roman
Catholic Church in
Clinton, Precious
Blood Roman Catholic
Church in Exeter, St.
Peter's Roman Catholic
Church in Goderich
and St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church
in Wingham.
By Susan
Hundertmark
not changed, Berry said, now the council-
lor have to do a lot of their own paper
work.
Berry said the Huron Addiction
Services has also had to cut the amount
of people it sees and one group, including
those recommended by judges to seek
addiction therapy, is no longer serviced.
Berry said in those cases many people
won't initially admit they have a problem
with addiction and treatment is much
more labour intensive.
"We need another substance abuse
counsellor," Berry added.
In 2004-2005, Huron Addiction
Services helped 503 people and provided
253 with assessment and treatment plan-
ning.
While the majority, 62 per cent, were
dealing with alcohol abuse, marijuana
addiction brought 29 per cent of cases to
Huron Addiction Services.
People seeking help with gambling
addiction and family members living with
a person with addiction were other cases
the agency dealt with.
"As a community we can't afford to
pretend this doesn't exist."
Berry said if the funding doesn't
change by next April the program will
again have to look at what can be cut.
"We can't continue to carry it at the
current levels," he said.
Since 2003 the amount of people seek-
ing help and treatment has steadily
climbed, Berry said.
Going into schools and communities
such as Exeter and Wingham has helped
more people become aware that help is
available.
"It's absolutely here, it has a huge
impact on people's lives."
While the amount of provincial funding
has not fallen, Berry pointed out that
increases to adequately cover yearly
jumps in rent, office supplies, benefits
and wages, have not been seen.
Berry commented that statistics have
revealed that every dollar spent on addic-
tion treatment saves $7 dollars in health
care.
In Statistics Canada information from
1992 it was disclosed that eight per cent
of hospital visits were related to sub-
stance use and 10 per cent of days in hos-
pital were for substance abuse.
"The longer people stay in trouble the
longer trouble ripples out."
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