Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 3, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Native addictions War costs $70m Only 30 per cent fall off Wagon off Ial says by Bill Redekop the Virginia Fontaine addictions foundation at Sage eng first nation is one of four in patient aboriginal addictions treatment centres in the province. The damage sniffing causes Ottawa will spend More than $70 million this year to fight alcohol and solvent abuse in first nations where some children Start sniffing Gas before age to says the first nations health program support director. A a there a no denying that solvent abuse is a problem amongst some first nations and inuit and in society As a whole a said Deborah Gillies with the first nations and inuit health Branch in Ottawa. Part of the budget pays for More than 700 addictions counsellors a one in every first nation and inuit Community in the country Gillies said. These counsellors work to educate people and prevent addictions. The other program component is addiction treatment centres such As the Virginia Fontaine addictions foundation in Sage eng first nation. Health Canada funds 53 alcohol and to solvent abuse treatment centres which have space for a total of 846 clients. Almost 70 per cent of addicts entering the treatment centres Complete the program and the recidivism rate is just 30 per cent Gillies said. A a it a quite common that people done to succeed the first time. That is not unusual a she said. The first nations and inuit health Branch estimates about so per cent of sniffers Are experimenters 30 per cent Are social users and 20 per cent Are chronic users. The chronic sniffers Are usually Between 12 and 19. Gambling is being added to the list of addictions of Nib is trying to Cope with. Gillies said addictions Are a global problem among groups with / continued from Page a1 that a out of about 400 youngsters she saw at the Centre during her two and a half years there. The treatment Centre takes in 150 to 200 Young people a year. Sigurdson said she would participate in annual youth conferences where she would see kids who had been through the Centre. They would Tell her they still Hadnot kicked their addiction. The Centre had no record of the youths once they left the program she said. The intake people were supposed to track them but Sigurdson said they were too Busy with new kids to follow former patients. A a we be had kids come Back three four five times a she said. Although solving youth addictions is a Tough task she said the Sage eng centres record is inexcusable. A the millions of dollars funding to the Sage eng treatment Centre is just a waste of Money because nothing is getting done. Those kids Are the same Way leaving As when they come in or even More not enough of the treatment workers have proper training some former unemployment and Low incomes. Aboriginal alcohol and solvent abuse treatment has been in the news the past month. In Manitoba Sage eng a Virginia Fontaine treatment Centre the country a largest is mired in controversy Over a Caribbean cruise and the effectiveness of its program. Health Canada Cut off its funding Friday saying Virginia Fontaine officials repeatedly blocked the departments attempts to do a forensic audit of the Centre. At the Eastern end of the country inuit children in Shesha Shiu Labrador have been shown in an intoxicated state sniffing Gas. Of Nib says 4,600 clients a year go through its treatment centres. Manitoba has four in patient aboriginal treatment centres the Virginia Fontaine addictions foundation the Nelson House Medicine Lodge pegu is Al care Centre and the whisky Jack treatment Centre. Employees say. So workers end up just babysitting patients instead of educating them and treating their problems Sigurdson said. She knows of at least one person who applied for a Job As a Cook and was Given a position As a counsellor. The Centre also has too few treatment workers and too Many support staff. Just 30 out of nearly too employees Are treatment workers. Sigurdson said kids at the treatment Centre May be More confused when they leave because of the facility a emphasis on ojibway Healing. Kids come to the Centre from a variety of cultures such As Dene Cree Lakota and inuit. Sigurdson asked the centres cultural workers if the non ojibway patients had the same beliefs. A for Are we just confusing these kids More a she wonders now. Some information on solvent sniffing i inhaled Vapours absorb rapidly in the lungs and brain giving a feeling of euphoria sometimes dizziness slurred speech distorted vision nausea and drowsiness. Can Lead to perceptual distortions and hallucinations. I repeated use leads to severe psychological dependency and to moderate physical dependency. I there is a possibility of significant organic damage to the lungs liver kidneys and heart. Withdrawal can Lead to depression and a Type of delirium Kremens. I people who want help can phone health Canada s 24-hour sniff helpline 1-800-267-6358 a you accept our beliefs our Way or you get punished is the Sage eng treatment centres message she said. A these kids leave and done to know who they Are any for example she said kids suffering withdrawal Arentt Given medical or psychological help but sent into sweat lodges. For most of them this is their first Contact with a sweat Lodge Sigurdson said. Barb Gervais another treatment worker who quit after the boat cruise agreed the Centre relies too much on cultural tradition and not enough on modern methods of treating addictions. A i just had enough a Gervais said describing training there As a Mickey a most people Arentt properly trained including myself Quot Gervais said. A the program Structure has to change with less emphasis on tradition. These kids need to be training sessions for staff Are generally in House discussions about traditional Healing and Are Given by the same people every year Gervais said. Every out of country training session is attended by More managers than actual treatment workers she claimed. A say they Send to people to a conference. Maybe two Are counsellors the major functional effects i poor motor co ordination i mental confusion i double vision i mood swings i chronic apathy signs of use i giddiness i slurred speech i drowsiness i dilation of pupils i bad breath i blood in urine and fees i Glassy eyes from National non profit group Dari. Drug abuse resistance program rest Are management a she said. For example the Centre attends annual conferences in both san Diego calif., and Albuquerque n.m., Gervais said. The stays Range from seven to to Days. A i tried to get Long distance training through books videos and the internet to get counselling skills. But when i asked for two Days off per week they denied the program recommended a minimum 16 hours per week of study and Gervais has two Small children. A they said a if you want to do it do it on your own a the majority of youngsters sent to the Sage eng Centre have fetal alcohol syndrome Frasor fetal alcohol effects Fae treatment workers say. A a lot of kids come from Homes where they re sniffing with their parents a said Gervais. The Sage eng treatment Centre is formally called the Virginia Fontaine addictions foundation. Its main facilities Are located on Sage eng first nation formerly fort Alexander Reserve about 145 Kilometres Northeast of Winnipeg. Job under fire after on air attack sex staff at Sage eng looking for apology two former Sage eng treatment Centre workers Are seeking an apology from Job claiming the radio station aired slanderous comments against them. The two individuals agreed to speak on the Charles Adler morning show last thursday about problems at the controversial alcohol and solvent abuse treatment Centre. But a Trio of employees from the Sage eng Centre phoned in and made personal attacks against them suggesting one person had an illicit affair while at the Centre and that another had been treated for psychiatric problems. The latter comment violates Laws protecting client confidentiality at treatment centres. The allegation of an affair was a lie said one individual who was no longer on the program and unable to rebut the comments when they were made. The individual wondered Why the radio station did no to use its 10-second delay to edit out the attacks. A i did no to expect to have my character a was my lawyer said even if it were True its no ones business a the individual said. The personal attacks have caused pain for both individuals and their families. Both individuals have consulted lawyers. Officials at Job were not available for comment yesterday. A with files from Paul Mckie a i tried to get Long distance training to get counselling skills. But when i asked for two Days off per week they denied a Barb Gervais former treatment crashes snowmobile a 15-year-old Winnipeg youth is Lucky to be alive today after being thrown from a snowmobile on an unmarked Trail. Ramp const. Gordon Kowalchuk said the teen lost control after he crossed a Roadway Friday and struck a wooden wheelbarrow near Balod Road and Dobales Road at 11 20 . In the pm of Lac Dubonnet. Kowalchuk said the youth was thrown More than three metres narrowly missing a Utility pole and Trees before Landing in a Small Clearing in the bush.4 a the probably passed within inches of being our first snowmobile fatality in the province Quot he said. A a it a incredible he Only had these Kowalchuk said Speed appears to have been a contributing Factor in the collision. The youth was discovered by his father who was following a Short distance behind. The youth was rushed to Pinawa Hospital and later transferred to the health sciences Centre. He suffered a fractured Pelvis and Arm in the Accident. Ramp said the of the victim is not being released because charges under the off Road vehicle act Are pending against the youth and the registered owner of the snowmobile. A spokesman for the local snowmobile club said there a not even enough Snow in the area to Blaze marked trails for Safe driving. Roy Kryschuk of the broke head trailblazers snowmobile club said its not yet Safe to drive a snowmobile in Eastern Manitoba. A a he a very Lucky a Kryschuk said. A i feel sorry for the Guy but he a fortunate to be alive. We Only have a couple of inches of Snow Driver Dies the Driver of a Semi trailer involved in a fatal Accident near Woodside on tuesday has died. Dwight Collins 52, of Russell was taken to Gladstone Hospital before being transferred to health sciences Centre in critical condition. Police said Collins died As a result of head injuries he sustained in the Accident on Highway 16. The Driver of a second Semi trailer 41-year-old William Penner of Lorette was pronounced dead at the scene. The two vehicles collided on an icy the rails Winni Eggers can now learn what it is like operating trains in our extreme Winter conditions. The Winnipeg railway museum has an exhibit allowing people to learn about the history of Canadian railways working in Adverse conditions. Today anyone who donates a nonperishable food item will be admitted free of charge. The food donations will be Given to the Canadian Pacific Holiday Tyain during its Winnipeg Stop later this month. Among other activities visitors to the exhibit will see Winter railway uniforms hear first hand accounts from retired railway employees and watch videos of Snow lows in action. The museum is located inside the via station on main Street. X woman outraged by songs delayed treatment at Hsc autistic boy waited Jive hours because nurses feared injury by Alexandra paid the Mother of an autistic boy claims emergency room staff at children a Hospital deliberately delayed treating her son until Security guards were present to protect them. A a in a pissed off a said Gail Prevost who related an account tuesday night at the Hospital where there was a five hour wait to treat a Gash on her six year old songs Arm. A this Guy deserved to get medical treatment the same As anybody else. They should be prepared to handle whatever comes through their doors a in be never seen such a disgusting display in my life a Prevost said. According to Prevost she and the two other adults took her son Skyler a who has behavioural problems and can to speak a to Hsc after he Cut his Arm in a fall at Home late tuesday afternoon. The family paediatrician advised the Mother to take the boy to an emergency room for stitches to sew up a Gash approximately four centimetres by 2.5 centimetres. The doctor she saw in the emergency room told her nurses did no to want to assist Prevost says Skyler had to wait until Security guards finally showed up. In the suture room out of fear the boy would accidentally hit them when he flailed his arms. Prevost said she then directly overhead a group of nurses say the same thing while they were talking among themselves at the main desk in the or. A i overheard the nurses say they did no to want to treat my son. This is in front. Of the Parent a Prevost said. A meanwhile the doctor called in a second doctor to assist second doctor Cut the skin around a the wound but then they waited until of o Security guards could be present in the room to restrain the child if necessary. When the Security guards arrived the treatment was done but in the end no stitches were performed. The Cut was bandaged and the family was sent Home. Prevost said she lodged an official complaint with health sciences Centre. Spokeswoman with the Hospital and the Winnipeg regional health authority have confirmed the complaint is being formally investigated by the director of the emergency department As is Normal procedure ;