cannabisnews.com: Plans to Open Drug Treatment Center in Pasco!





Plans to Open Drug Treatment Center in Pasco!
Posted by FoM on July 02, 1999 at 10:50:22 PT
Source: St. Petersburg Times
Operation PAR plans to expand its services to include adolescent drug treatment. If Rick McCollum has his way, Pasco will have a new outlet for adolescent drug and alcohol treatment before the new school year begins.
"Sen. (Jack) Latvala arranged for the money to be appropriated in the budget for an adolescent intervention center in Pasco," said McCollum, who is Operation PAR's chief administrative services officer. The group, which offers mental health and substance abuse services in Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties, won $975,000 in the last legislative session to expand its services in Pasco. The grant money has yet to wind its way through the Department of Children and Families down to the PAR offices. But McCollum said the group would start looking for a facility to lease as soon as it had the cash in hand. "There have been limited services in Pasco, and Sen. Latvala (R-Palm Harbor) has been concerned about that," McCollum added. The DCF uses the Harbor Behavioral Health Care Institute to provide drug and alcohol treatment for some of its clients. Holly Kicklighter, a spokeswoman for the Harbor, said that Catholic Charities, Gulfcoast Community Care and Family Continuity also provided drug treatment services, but others are always welcome. "There are several agencies serving this community, and it's still not enough," Kicklighter said. Dr. Marc Yacht, who heads Pasco County's Health Department, echoed that sentiment. "For an organization like that to come into the area with that kind of resources can only be a good thing," Yacht said. "We're happy to have PAR up here. They're a well-known organization with a history of service." PAR is not completely new to Pasco, since the group operates an alternative drug therapy clinic for heroin addicts off Little Road. McCollum said the expansion to serve adolescents comes at an excellent time to engage in the work of prevention. "Pasco has been one of the most rapidly growing populations in the state, and inherent with that is the problem of adolescent drug use and some other mental health problems," McCollum said. "Hopefully through the service provided there we can address problems before youth become involved in the legal system." The center is expected to have a staff of 16, including medical personnel, therapists and counselors. Young people referred to the program by DCF, parents, school counselors or law enforcement workers will receive treatment on an outpatient basis. The program also will be equipped to address other mental health problems linked to patients' substance abuse, such as depression. "Of course, many people you treat have substance abuse and mental health problems, and we do take care of that," McCollum said. PAR, a Pinellas-based non-profit agency, has mushroomed since 1970 from a handful of volunteers to an agency with an $18-million budget and 500 employees running nearly 50 programs in 28 locations in west-central Florida. PAR is funded by private donations, several state agencies, the United Way, municipalities and several other groups. PAR serves8,000 to 10,000 people annually. McCollum was unsure how many clients the Pasco program would add. PAR has purchased Greenbrier Hospital, Hernando County's only psychiatric hospital. McCollum said it was possible that patients admitted to the Pasco facilities could be referred there for additional care. By BETH GLENN-- Staff writer Beth Glenn can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 6229. Her e-mail address is glenn sptimes.com. © St. Petersburg Times, Published July 1, 1999 
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