FRANCAIS

April 13, 2006

The first of three day-long crystal meth training workshops on how to respond to crystal methamphetamine use begins today for more than 500 Manitoba front-line mental health and addictions service providers, Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

 “Crystal meth is a growing problem that we need to deal with immediately,” said Oswald.  “We’re providing training to front-line workers so they will know how to deal with this highly-addictive drug that ruins the lives of many ordinary Manitobans and has a great impact on their family members.”

 Other training initiatives in the near future include:

·     Two additional day-long crystal meth training sessions scheduled this spring for child welfare, addictions and mental-health service providers and other social service staff.

·     Two three-day training sessions in September for two groups of 20 mental-health and addictions front-line workers.  The September training will focus on the technique known as motivational interviewing which is used to engage individuals to pursue their goals in terms of recovery.

·     Training sessions for 600 first responders including city police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, health inspectors and other first responders.

 Last year, Manitoba Healthy Living and Manitoba Justice established a task force to develop a comprehensive crystal meth strategy.  The strategy is a two-pronged approach to restricting supply and reducing the demand for this drug.

 As part of reducing the demand, Manitoba Healthy Living is co-ordinating public awareness activities and the training of service providers in contact with individuals either with a crystal meth addiction or at risk of using crystal meth.

In December, Oswald announced details of a $6.7-million investment to enhance and increase mental-health and addictions programs and services.  Some of the government’s investments in mental-health and addictions programs include:

·     funding to improve access to residential youth addictions programming at the Behavioural Health Foundation;

·     funding for a clinical therapist and a registered nurse for the Behavioural Health Foundation;

·     funding for two new youth outreach positions with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, one located in Winnipeg and one in Thompson;

·     investing in a Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team, the priority of which will be to facilitate the discharge of patients from Selkirk Mental Health Centre who require support in the community;

·     establishing and maintaining a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week provincial suicide prevention line;

·     providing additional training for health-care staff in suicide prevention;

·     increasing ongoing funding to the Teen Talk program to enhance its work throughout the province;

·     funding for additional staffing for the Winnipeg Early Intervention in Psychosis program;

·     funding to establish an Early Intervention in Mental Illness program in Brandon;

·     funding to provide additional community mental-health workers in the regional health authorities; and

·     as one of the commitments of the Manitoba Meth Strategy, funding to facilitate training throughout the province on a variety of mental-health and addictions topics including crystal meth.

 In addition, the Manitoba government’s March budget announced a further $2 million in funding to combat crystal meth and other addictions.

 Oswald noted that addictions cost the health-care system millions of dollars every year but exact an immeasurable human cost on an individual’s life.

 “Living with addictions is difficult and painful for everyone who has to deal with a family member or friend who is abusing substances,” said Oswald.  “The Manitoba government will provide the necessary supports to help them deal with the problems related to addiction.”

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