Calling Lake treatment centre on a roll

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Anger and grief stemming from the early deaths of several local residents has spawned a major attack against drug and alcohol abuse in this community.

Calling Lake becomes only the second mobile treatment program to be held in Alberta.

The O'Chiese reserve in west-central Alberta was the first reserve in the province to hold such a program in 1987.

"Very definitely, they saw fantastic outcomes on their reserve in terms of numbers treated. Their follow-up rates were extremely favorable," said community spokesman Kris Robins.

"Mobile treatment is an exciting new wave of treatment for the future," Robins said.

"We're taking the treatment to the people versus taking the people to the treatment," she said. "What we're endeavoring to do is deliver an in-patient residential treatment program

for alcoholism in the community of Calling Lake."

The one-time, 28-day program planned for next summer, will treat the entire community rather than just one person at a time, she said.

"It's an intensive community program with long lasting support systems being left in a mobilized and healed community," Robins said.

Up to 30 people can be treated at once, with courses offered for the spouses and children of drug and alcohol abusers.

"The entire community is invited to participate in some aspect of the program," she said.

Mini-courses in topics like chemical dependency and surviving sexual abuse are planned.

"The intention is to treat the community collectively so the community becomes a resource for itself," she said.

Calling Lake addictions' counsellor Josephine Beaver, ho was instrumental in initiating the program, is optimistic it will have a lasting impact.

Beaver said some residents who are willing to undergo treatment are reluctant to leave their homes and family.

"That seems to stop them from going. And when they go out for treatment and come back, they don't have the support; they feel out of place," she said.

The committee has been preparing for the project for three years.

A conference of Community Initiatives in Conquering Alcohol and Drug Abuse held at Slave Lake last June was a major stepping stone in developing the project. The list of speakers

included Paul Hanki, the founding father of mobile treatment projects.

It was followed by a series of 21 workshops held in eight communities this spring.

"It requires tremendous community commitment," said Robins. "The leadership has to be fully prepared to encourage and support the program, including having some of its

leadership as clients."

The community of 400 people must also provide space for the project, a babysitting service and social and recreational programs for clients. Its aim is to reach total abstinence within

the community during the 28 days.

One-half of the project team will be brought in while the other half will be found and trained locally. In this way, when the program ends, trained people are left behind in the

community.

Beaver said resident Francois Cardinal got the ball rolling in the fight against alcoholism.

Six to eight alcohol related deaths over a period of 18 months prompted him organize a community potluck supper in 1987.

At the gathering, residents came to pour out their feelings of "grief, loss and anger" about the deaths.

"It was the community grieving together," she said.

Beaver said interest in sober activities is growing at Calling Lake and alcohol abuse has tapered during the last few years.

"We're not 100 per cent sober, but we're not 100 per cent drunk either. It's somewhere in between."

Gas-sniffing remains a problem with adolescents on the reserve.

"It is a concern to me and the other residents in the community, especially the families."

The $100,000 mobile treatment project is funded by Health and Welfare (Canada).

Agencies represented on the 30-member committee include the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC), the Metis Regional Council, the Alberta Vocational Centre,

the National Native Alcool and Drug Abuse Program, the Bigstone Band and Native Counselling Services of Alberta.

Atikameg/Whitefish, which also submitted a proposal to host a mobile treatment project, is "Still very much interested and we want very much to encourage their goal," said Robins.

"We believe this is a very viable way of providing treatment in communities and we want as many communities as possible to consider it as an alternative," she added.