"MRS. MIROSH: Mr. Speaker, I recently have had the opportunity to meet with a number of constituents who've expressed a concern with regards to the number of taxpayers' dollars moving south of the border to treat people with drug and alcohol addiction, particularly the adolescents. We now know that there are a number of programs here in Alberta that can probably be used for our adolescents and others. I'm wondering if the Minister of Health could explain why those taxpayers' dollars are still moving south of the border and why they couldn't be implemented into the programs that are here, in Alberta.
MS BETKOWSKI: Actually, Mr. Speaker, the proportion of Albertans going into the U.S. for addiction treatment is relatively small, some 500 compared to 33,000 admissions to AADAC and its funded agencies in the last fiscal year. Nonetheless, we are [concerned that Albertans must go out of the province to find treatment and that perhaps those Albertans aren't aware of what is available within Alberta before they make a decision at a very difficult and pressured time in their families' lives, I'm sure. So what we have put in place is a prior approval process before any of these programs will be approved for payment out of the Alberta Health Care Insurance Fund. That process will ensure that first we exhaust all opportunities in Alberta, then all opportunities in Canada before we will consider out-of-country placement.
As Minister of Health I am only responsible and can only speak for the Health Care Insurance Fund. We do not fund community residential programs out of the Health Care Insurance Fund but certainly will fund physician-based, acute care programs whether they are within Alberta or outside of Alberta.
MRS. MIROSH: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to direct my supplementary question, then, to the chairman of AADAC. The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre recently opened in Calgary, and I was wondering if AADAC will be working with this centre in helping them provide a program that would be in-house.
3:30
MR. NELSON: Mr. Speaker, AADAC has been involved with assistance in developing the program of the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre since its inception originally as Kids of the Canadian West. They have developed an exceptionally good program to assist in the care of young people in the province of Alberta for recovery in alcohol and other substances abuses as well as other disorders. Alberta today has without a doubt exceptional programs for adolescent care, unmatched anywhere in Canada and in fact probably in the United States. As far as I'm concerned, with the support of the government there is in general terms no reason for young people to have to go to the states. There is a misconception that because it is an American program it is better. That is not the case. Alberta has exceptional programs that can meet the needs of Albertans in all age groups and particularly our adolescents"
http://isys.assembly.ab.ca:8080/isysquery/irl1940/6/docAnd so, Kids of the Canadian West fades into the ether, and the Wiz becomes an expert clinical researcher and developer of unique treatment programs, lauded by experts like Robert McAndrews.
