RR Dist. SAPT funding may run out in March

By Ken Johnston
Editor

While it is the tenth year that the Rainy River Substance Abuse Prevention Team (SAPT) has been in existence it could be its last.
The district organization receives $90,000 per year to offer programs related to preventing injury and substance abuse. It has formed many key partnerships with area groups like the Healthy Communities Coalition in Rainy River and others across the district. The funding from the provincial Ministry of Health Promotion (MoHP) has not been increased since SAPT started a decade ago. However, there is no indication that the province has plans to renew the program when it runs out of money in March of 2009.
SAPT Coordinator Hugh Dennis has been involved with the organization since it started. At first, as a member of the Ontario Provincial Police as a partner organization and for the past two years as its coordinator. In the past there has always been a nod well in advance of the funding expiring that the province intends to renew it. “This year we don’t know if they are going to rejig it or re-fund it or cancel it,” said Dennis Monday.
With no word from the province, Dennis, along with SAPT board members and their partners have ramped up a public awareness campaign on the matter. “Last week we involved M.P.P. Howard Hampton who plans to ask the MoHP in the house about our funding.”
As for what might happen if the funding is cancelled completely, Dennis said, “We do not have a plan for that at this time.” While they have not considered approaching other funding avenues such as the Rainy River District Social Services Board, “I think that the program is very valuable to the residents of this area, especially in tought economic times.”
Dennis pointed to media reports over the weekend that the sales of alcohol are way up. “When times are tough some people turn to alcohol. While we do not say that is wrong, we do promote doing it safely.” If SAPT was gone there would be less public awareness about the perils of substance abuse and how to prevent them.
SAPT is actually referred to by the MoHP as a FOCUS group. The province has been funding them since 1991 and in this area since 1998.
Many FOCUS groups serve only one community. Here they serve the entire Rainy River District. To Dennis the value the province gets for its funding here is wide spread and the value to all residents of this district is obvious.
If word comes that the province plans to shelve the concept altogether, then Dennis says SAPT will look at a new plan of attack. For now they will continue to write letters and issue statements to the media; all-the-while maintaining positive programs across the district.
Editor’s Note: This arrived late on Monday via Howard Hampton’s office. It is hansard from the question by NDP MPP Andrea Horwath and the Min. of Health Promotion.
Ms. Andrea Horwath: To the Minister of Health Promotion: Does the minister intend to continue funding FOCUS community project substance abuse prevention programs, yes or no?
Hon. Margarett R. Best: I thank the member opposite for the question and I want the member opposite to know that the Ministry of Health Promotion is certainly intending to continue to look into programs that affect the young people of our province. We will continue to address the issues relating to prevention and addiction. It is a fundamental part of the ministry’s mandate, which we continue to work on.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?
Ms. Andrea Horwath: The McMurtry-Curling roots of violence report urges more funding for programs like these. Why is the long-running FOCUS program still waiting to hear its funding fate from the ministry when experts want more programs like this to tackle the roots of violence?
Hon. Margarett R. Best: Again, I thank the member opposite for the question. Certainly the roots of violence report is something that is of fundamental importance. We are currently looking into and reviewing the report. We, in the Ministry of Health Promotion, as well as across ministries in the government of Ontario, intend to address many of the issues that are raised in that report. We know that in addressing those issues, we will address some of the fundamental and present issues that affect people in the province of Ontario.