Caledonia Argus

Chemical dependency among youth on rise

Posted: 8/27/02

by Jane Palen
Managing Editor

The problem of chemical dependency continues to grow in Houston County, especially among adolescents.

That information was shared with the county board by Sharen Lapham, who is a case manager for the chemical dependency unit of Houston County Human Services. Her responsibilities include assessing clients and recommending courses of treatment for chemical dependency. She currently has 56 cases.

Lapham told the board that she is concerned with the rise in chemical dependency among youth.

ìKids are floundering with no structure, and no curfews,î Lapham told the board. ìToo many parents want to be friends, not parents.î

Drugs are prevalent in Houston County, according to Lapham.

ìItís not hard to find LSD or cocaine,î she said. ìWeíve not seen a lot of Ecstacy here, but it is seen in La Crosse County.î ìKid are using a lot of stuff.î

Some of the youth involved in drug use are getting decent grades and are not what people think of when they think of drug users, said Lapham.

Another problem, she said, is that there are a fair number of parents who use marijuana themselves.

ìItís conflicting for kids who are in this situation,î she told commissioners.

She noted that in some cases, parentsí income exceeds the maximum allowed to receive chemical dependency funds, but youths in need of services can apply on their own and not include their parentsí income. This can be used when parents deny that their children need those services.

Lapham also noted that the first time a chemically dependent person enters court-ordered treatment, the chances of a relapse are high. Part of the problem, she said, is that insurance companies are paying for only 14 days of treatment when at one time, 45 days was the norm.

In other news from human services, John Schroeder reported that 64 percent of the human services budget of $703,000 for substitute care has been spent as of July 31, which represents 58 percent of the year. The budget includes such items as foster care, residential care, out of home placements and mental health services for children and adolescents.

In other news from the county, commissioners agreed to contact cities in the county to see if they have had housing studies done. The county was asked at one of its meetings earlier this month for $8,000 to help fund a housing study in the county and for an additional $6,000 for office expenses. The request came from Jeremy La Croix, who represents Bluff Country Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

The study, which would be used as a basis for attracting funding for housing in the county, is expected to cost about $18,000. The $10,000 not picked up by the county would be raised through federal funds, grants, and other sources.

Insurance increases

In other news, the county board learned that its insurance through Minnesota Counties Insurance trust will cost more than last year.

The premium for 2001 was $101,191 compared to $131,471 for 2002. For Workers Comp, the county paid a premiuxm of $59,046 for 2001 and the premium for 2002 is $62,167.

Top of Page