HART DETOX PLAN

PARRY SOUND - It has been just seven months since Helping Addicts
Restore Themselves (HART) was formed, but already this group of
strong-willed and determined mothers and board members is working
hard to get a detox centre opened here in Parry Sound.

The closest detox centres are in Barrie, Sudbury and North Bay.

A detox centre is usually in a facility near or inside a hospital,
with a relatively home-like setting. The clients are watched while
the drugs are getting out of their system, so that if they suffer a
seizure or have any other problems they they can quickly get to a hospital.

Before a detox centre can be available in the region, the HART group
has to hire a consultant to conduct a statistical study, a needs
assessment and a feasibility plan at a cost of $5,000, which HART doesn't have.

The group met with the Community Business and Development Centre
(CB&DC) to see if it could lend them the money. CB&DC helps small
businesses and groups by providing them loans, equity and loan guarantees.

However, the money isn't just handed over on request. Like other
groups and businesses, HART has to compile letters of support for a
detox centre from community groups, the public and businesses, as
well as a proposal for how the money will be used.

"What's interesting is that not every agency in town responded to the
fact that we need a letter of support and that really shocked me,"
said HART chair Gail MacDonald.

Nonetheless, in two weeks the group has received letters of support
from Parry Sound Mayor Ted Knight, Lane Family Pharmacy, Parry Sound
High School, Britt School, McDougall School, Nobel School, Shoppers
Drug Mart, Addiction Outreach, Pollard IDA Pharmacy, Parry
Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller, Conservative candidate Tony Clement
and Esprit Place.

Two weeks ago the group met with West Parry Sound Health Centre
(WPSHC) grants officer John Lee who will help them, when the
statistical study is complete, to seek provincial and federal funding
to open a facility.

"There are a number of steps that have to take place," said Mr. Lee.
"Once we have a feasibility and a needs assessment, we look at the
provincial government and the federal government to submit that to.
That is part of the application for additional funding, because the
governments will want to see what we've done. The CB&DC administers
the local initiative program funding for the community on behalf of FedNor."

"Cost will depend on whether you're looking at a new building or not.
If you can have it affixed or very close to the hospital that would
be ideal," Mr.Lee said. said. "To build a new facility, it could cost
between $100,000 and $300,000, and if it's inside an existing
facility, probably between $20,000 and $80,000 depending on how you
want to start out."

Despite this being early in the process of getting the centre, all of
HART's board members feel positive that they will get the funding.

"We've now been putting our focus on preventive things. A detox
centre was really important to us right from the beginning," said Ms
MacDonald. "I think where we're at is making this district
responsible--because it is a district-wide issue--for our sick
people. If they had diabetes, they wouldn't be asked to drive to
Barrie for immediate help. But because they have addiction problems,
something that isn't socially acceptable, they're just cast aside. I
think somebody needs to be an advocate for these people."

Mr. Lee said that if all goes well, the region could see a detox
centre here as early as the spring.

"If we get the approval to hire a consultant in January, then within
a few weeks we should have a document and by February/March we should
be doing outreach to get the funds necessary to get the detox centre," he said.