Addiction treatment centre doubles capacity for teens

The Hanmer Springs alcohol and drug treatment centre for adolescents is being expanded to cope with demand.

The capacity of the centre, at the Queen Mary Hospital, will be doubled to 24 young people.

American Jim Heaslip, who set up Ireland's first residential alcohol and drug treatment programme for young people and has 28 years experience in the field, will manage the expanded centre.

Hospital chairman John Beattie said the youth programme, launched a year ago, was the only one in New Zealand to offer residential care in a hospital setting for adolescents assessed as being dependent on alcohol and drugs.

Mr Heaslip said courts, doctors and community-based organisations were referring troubled teens to the centre for treatment. Schools were also referring students with drug and alcohol problems.

The Commissioner for Children, Roger McClay, has welcomed the expansion.

"New Zealand has a long way to go before we can proudly claim that we are meeting the mental health needs of our children and young people.

"Drug and alcohol abuse is part of that mental health problem," he said.

The Queen Mary Hospital, in north Canterbury, was built as a refuge for soldiers suffering the effects of the First World War.

Since 1972 it has been devoted exclusively to helping people and families suffering the effects of alcohol and drug dependency.

About 17,000 people have been treated there.

- NZPA