Heather Latter
The Atikokan Addictions Committee will move ahead with plans to build an addictions treatment centre there after results from a recently-launched survey show there is a need for one in Rainy River District.
“There’s a lot of work involved, but that can’t stop us from moving ahead. We need to try and do this for the people that we serve,” stressed Donna Kroocmo, executive director of the Rainy River District Shelter of Hope, which facilitated the needs assessment survey being funded through Justice Canada.
Kroocmo said the committee will meet to review the survey findings, which also were discussed during the “Shelter of Hope” conference last week.
Connie Terlesky, who was hired to collect the data through the survey, presented her final report at that time, which showed the need for an addictions treatment centre in the district.
“The biggest thing was that prescription drugs [had] surpassed alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs, by far, as a problem,” Terlesky noted from the data collected, citing a 65 percent misuse of prescription drugs compared to 30 percent for inhalant, 36 percent for street drugs, and 46 percent for alcohol.
The survey, conducted over a four-week period, also highlighted suicide and bullying as major problems locally.
All organizations dealing with treatment referrals from communities across the district were invited to participate in the survey.
Terlesky said more than 60 people attended the “Shelter of Hope” conference while a total of 113 people completed the survey—a 96 percent response rate.
She added plenty of people indicated they had referred others for treatment in the past, with 19 people saying they referred more than 30 people and another 34 noting they had referred one-five people.
“These are big numbers,” Terlesky stressed. “And they are all going out of town because there is nothing here.”
Kroocmo said given the interest from an investor willing to put forth $1.5 million to build a treatment centre in Atikokan, they need a business plan—complete with data and research—to acquire financing from the bank since this amount won’t completely cover the construction cost.
She noted the committee has submitted a proposal through the Community Giving Program through Green Shield Canada.
Next, they will do more research into the normal rate for beds at a residential treatment facility.
“The private investor wants a return, so at least some of the beds have to be set aside as for-profit beds, which means they would have to pay the going rate, whatever that might be,” Kroocmo explained, noting so far they have determined this could be anywhere from $400-$800 a day.
“So we’d have to find something in the medium range, I would think.”
She said they also have to consider the cost of ongoing operations. “We have to have this be self-sufficient,” she remarked.
But Kroocmo said her hope is to have at least two of the beds as not-for-profit.
“That’s my dream,” she noted. “We just want to make this available to everyone.”
She said the committee also must decide the approach the treatment facility would take. They have two preferences—to serve youth and to have several beds for family-centered treatment.
“Twelve- to 16-year-olds are using and we know that,” Kroocmo said. “You don’t want to see young person sent away for treatment.”
As well, a family-centered approach would allow family, children, or whoever is needed as a support group for the person being treated.
This also would allow the facility to be more culturally-appropriate to First Nation communities, where involving family and extended family is important for treatment.
In addition, Kroocmo said the treatment facility could offer an out-patient clinic or day program.
“We thought that would be a really excellent way to service the people who couldn’t otherwise afford a residential treatment program,” she explained.
“And they could access the treatment they need with very little cost to the client.”
With additional programs, Kroocmo said the centre could be much more than just a residential treatment centre.
“We could do much more with it, and that’s our hope and our plan,” she insisted, adding they have a very active committee with community service providers from many sectors, which will be beneficial to assist with all the work ahead of them.
Terlesky, meanwhile, conceded the committee is aware other groups also are trying to get a facility going.
“Whoever gets it first, let’s just build it and get it going because a strong need is there,” she stressed.
Currently, the closest treatment centres include Thunder Bay and Kenora while the closest family-centered one is in Winnipeg.
