Wednesday June 3 2015
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The
Leader
RECOVERY HOMES: THE ROCKY ROAD TO REGULATION ▶ SURREY HAS WORKED TO KEEP SKETCHY DRUG AND ALCOHOL RECOVERY HOUSES UNDER CONTROL – WITH LIMITED SUCCESS
▼ FROM DEATH’S EDGE TO NEW HOPE KEVIN DIAKIW
KEVIN DIAKIW
In the mid-1990s, the tongue-incheek refrain from experts in the addictions field was that you get sick from drugs and booze in Vancouver, but you recover in Surrey. Surrey took no comfort in that fact. At the time, Surrey was inundated with unregulated drug and alcohol recovery homes – estimates ran at about 100. Many of them were sketchy outfits that “racked and stacked” clients (packing several to a room), offered little or no recovery program, didn’t provide food, and often booted them out early while still keeping the full month’s rent. The newly elected city councillor, Dianne Watts, attempted to tackle the issue head on. continued on page 7
▶ There are more than 120 recovery homes – regulated and unregulated – operating in Surrey. JAS REHAL
Trilogy House president Susan Sanderson stands with her house manager Gord (left) and clients (left to right) Steve and Devinder. Trilogy House is run by the Realistic Success Recovery Society – the first organization in the province to be registered under the province’s 2012 mental health and substance use regulations. EVAN SEAL
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On Sunday, May 10 – Mother’s Day – Steve resolved to toss himself in front of an oncoming semi-truck on King George Boulevard. The 37-year-old addict had burned through three marriages, alienated his family, and had few people in the world who trusted him. With good reason – he’d stolen from most of them. For about 20 years, Steve battled with addiction to “crack, speed, weed and alcohol.” His life had long since spiralled out of control, despite many efforts to stop the plunge. Steve had been to halfa-dozen Surrey recovery homes looking or help. Shortly after arriving at his first, he found that drugs were being dealt freely within the home. There was a strict rule to take the pot down the block and use it there, so as not to bring heat on the house. continued on page 4
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