Aust. expert to address solvent abuse forum

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 9

Aust. expert to address solvent abuse forum

By

SUZANNE KEEN

An Australian with international experience in dealing with adolescent solvent abuse will address a forum on the topic in Christchurch this Thursday. Mr Milton Luger is the executive director of the Australia-New Zealand Odyssey Foundation and a former director of the Office of Juvenile Justice in the United States. The forum, which is aimed particularly at parents, begins at the Cinerama Youth Centre at 7.30 p.m. It was organised by the Canterbury Community Council on Alcohol and Drugs. The director of Odyssey House, Mr Geoff Soma, said it was aimed to further investigate gaps and weaknesses in the existing

services dealing with adolescent substance abuse. It would also identify concerns of parents affected by substance abuse among the young. Mr Luger is in Christchurch this month to carry out an annual supervision of Odyssey House’s activities and it was thought appropriate that he should be the guest speaker, Mr Soma said.

The parent of a boy who has experienced substance abuse problems will also speak. A panel assembled to answer questions from the audience comprises Mr Luger, Dr Andrew Hornblow (professor of community health), Dr Brian Craig (adolescent psychiatrist), Mr John Pritchard (Solvent Abuse Advisory

Council), Ms Sara Crane (counsellor), Mr John Challis (general director of Odyssey, Auckland), Mr Hohua Tutengaehe (chairman, Te Rito Arahi). Mr Soma said that between 200 and 300 people attended a similar forum last year. Its was found that co-ordination of services was a problem and that many people did not know where to go for help.

He said that Thursday’s forum would emphasise the importance of ongoing forums and workshops to address the problems of adolescent solvent abuse.

“Hopefully it will be a large forum so we can recognise the need for further resources. The younger we can get these adolescents, the more we can do to help them.”