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JOHN ASHCRAFT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INDIAN RIVER COMMUN— <br />ITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED <br />A $100,000 GRANT FROM THE STATE TO START A DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND <br />BEFORE PROCEEDING ANY FURTHER THEY WISH TO CHECK WITH ALL FOUR COUNTIES <br />IN THEIR AREA TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COUNTIES ARE LIKELY TO FUND. HE <br />NOTED THAT WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING IS A COMPREHENSIVE -DRUG TREATMENT <br />PROGRAM WHICH WOULD TAKE ABOUT THREE YEARS TO PUT INTO EFFECT, THE <br />STATE WISHES THEM TO START OFF INITIALLY WITH A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT <br />PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD COST ABOUT $125,000 OF WHICH INDIAN RIVER COUNTY'S <br />MATCH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $8,000. THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BE TO <br />PROVIDE OUT—PATIENT AND DETOX SERVICES, FOLLOW—UP AND PREVENTIVE EDUCA— <br />TION, WHICH WOULD COST ANOTHER $160,000, OF WHICH INDIAN RIVER COUNTY'S <br />SHARE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $10,000, AND THE THIRD PHASE WOULD BE AN <br />EVALUATION COMPONENT FOR ABOUT $12,000 OF WHICH THE COUNTY'S SHARE WOULD <br />BE $750, OR A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $19,000 OVER A THREE—YEAR PERIOD. <br />HE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THE STATE HAS IDENTIFIED THIS AREA AS HAVING <br />A SEVERE HEROIN AND OPIATE ABUSE PROBLEM, HE NOTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT <br />OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES DID THIS SURVEY, AND IT WAS FELT <br />THIS IS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DRUGS THAT COME INTO ST. LUCIE COUNTY AND <br />ARE DISTRIBUTED FROM THERE. <br />GARDNER MORGAN, INDIAN RIVER COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER <br />SUBSTANCE ABUSE. DIRECTOR, FELT THE SURVEY ACTUALLY IS SAYING THAT THIS <br />IS THE WORST AREA LEFT IN THE STATE THAT HAS NO DRUG TREATMENT FACILITIES. <br />MR. ASHCRAFT THEN EXPLAINED IN DETAIL HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD <br />BE SET UP AND WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. <br />COMMISSIONER SIEBERT STATED THAT HE PERSONALLY DOESN'T THINK <br />IT IS A GOOD USE OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY TO TRY TO REHABILITATE SOCIAL <br />AND MORAL DEGENERATES, AND HE WOULD RATHER SEE EVERY PENNY SPENT TO KEEP <br />THE DRUGS OUT. <br />MR. MORGAN POINTED OUT THAT AN OPIATE ADDICT HAS A DIFFERENT <br />SET OF VALUES ENTIRELY, AND THEIR AIM IS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING, <br />INTO THIS SITUATION BECAUSE ONCE THEY DO BECOME ADDICTED, THE CHANCES <br />OF REHABILITATING THEM SUCCESSFULLY ARE VERY POOR, HE FELT AN OUT— <br />PATIENT PROGRAM WOULD HELP PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING INTO THESE <br />CIRCUMSTANCES. ` <br />52 <br />Bou 34 FAGF'213 <br />a <br />0 <br />