Substance abuse prevention program in dark over funding

For Frances Times LTD
By Paige Desmond, Staff writer
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanks to a strong community response, the Rainy River District Substance Abuse Prevention Team has been granted an extension until Dec. 5 to collect signatures and letters of support from the community.
As reported in Monday’s Daily Bulletin, the local SAPT needs the community’s help to keep its doors open as its government funding expires March 31, 2009 and there’s no word yet on whether it will be replaced.
“There isn’t a replacement plan that we’ve been told of,” SAPT co-ordinator Hugh Dennis said.
Falling under FOCUS community projects, the local SAPT is one of 22 sites currently in operation. In 1998, FOCUS was awarded $2.4 million in government funding to be distributed amongst the sites and has since secured more than $4.24 million in in-kind donations.
The SAPT receives roughly $90,000-$95,000 per year for substance abuse prevention and programming.
For instance, it is linked with such programs as the “chem-free” grad party and Parents Against Illicit Narcotics (P.A.I.N.)
NDP leader Howard Hampton credited FOCUS for its versatility.
“People will tell unanimously that this is one of the most valuable strategies because they’re able to take a little bit of money and do a lot with it,” he said this morning.
The most recent five-year funding cycle ended March 31, 2008, although it was announced prior to that date a transitional year had been granted while the future of the FOCUS projects were discussed.
The future of SAPT is looking bleak and Dennis isn’t sure what the end result will be.
“It doesn’t make any sense to me that it wouldn’t be re-funded,” he said.
As of Monday, the SAPT was trying to meet a tight deadline for petitions and letters of support to be collected and sent to Health Promotion minister Margarett Best by yesterday. But interest earned the team a grace period until Dec. 5—and Dennis was quick to thank the community for its support.
“I’d like to thank those that have signed the petition,” he said yesterday after learning of the extension.
Hampton fully supports FOCUS but said the McGuinty government does not intend to renew the program.
“We think they’re trying to quietly cut this,” he remarked.
If funding is not renewed, Dennis warned the community will suffer.
“The program goes away [without funding], simple as that,” Dennis said. “It means a gap in education and awareness of drugs and alcohol.”
While local issues regarding drug and alcohol use are no secret, the SAPT worries the worsening state of the economy will cause these issues to escalate.
“As the economy struggles and the stressors of life continue to take a toll, many people turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping,” states a press release regarding the expiration of funding.
Grace Silander, with the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition, confirmed drug and alcohol abuse in the district is a serious problem.
“We do have a huge problem in this area with Oxycontin,” she noted.
Silander added addiction issues are not only a problem for users but for the wider community, as well.
“It is posing a problem for people on the road . . . it also poses a problem for our seniors and elders,” who Silander said often are targeted for prescription drug theft.
Without SAPT to address these issues, Silander fears a negative impact on the community. She noted the safety coalition has produced a letter of support for SAPT.
“They’re so active and they are working district-wide,” she remarked. “It would be a huge loss to our district. We truly hope the support will remain.”
Through its programs and support of other initiatives, the SAPT addresses district health and safety issues related to drugs and alcohol, as well as provides hope and knowledge for those who need it, Dennis explained.
Furthermore, its role in educating young people is an important one regarding health promotion and injury prevention.
Contrary to the lack of funding the SAPT now faces, Dennis originally had hoped provincial dollars would be expanded, if anything.
Seeking answers, the SAPT has requested—and received—letters of support from its community partners to be sent to Best.
It also is seeking letters of support from local residents to stress the value of SAPT’s presence here. At the same time, a petition is available for people to sign in support of renewed funding in 2009.
To sign the petition, host a copy for signing, or get more information, contact Dennis at 274-9827.