The San Joaquin Valley -- often dubbed the meth capital of the nation -- needs more residential programs to help addicts and improved public awareness campaigns, especially targeting the youth, to force more community involvement, says a new report recently released. Among four broad suggestions made by California State University, Fresno is a call for more residential treatment facilities that address the needs of women with children, adolescents and the gay and lesbian population who are at risk.

The 121-page report also called for expanded education and creating a mechanism to mobilize residents to combat the region's chronic problem with methamphetamine abuse.

The report, "Local Solutions to Regional Issues: A Report from the Methamphetamine Recovery Project," is based on the outcomes of public forums held throughout the region in which 758 people participated and more than 4,000 responses were submitted.

It highlights efforts already in place in various communities and describes what programs and policies are needed to develop a regional approach to solving the area's drug problems.

"This report represents evidence of a regional consensus of what works, what doesn't work and what is needed if the Valley is to confront and reduce the effects of methamphetamine and other substances," said Virginia Rondero Hernandez, faculty researcher for the Central California Social Welfare Evaluation, Research and Training Center at California State University, Fresno.

Pound after pound of meth travels up and down the California heartland each year, driving up crime rates, clogging jails and eroding workforce and family life and creating public health and environmental issues. Despite a dwindling number of lab busts during the past few years, authorities say the region still remains the most active in the state.

In the last fiscal year, 10,841 people were admitted to some forms of publicly funded treatment for meth abuse in the Valley, according to the report. Admission rates are highest among adolescents and young adults, the report said.

According to the report, participants often cited drug court, which provides an alternative to incarceration, as an effective solution. Also cited as an effective policy was a legal restriction on over-the-counter medications that can be used to manufacture meth.

The report also said participants often raised concerns about inadequate community awareness about substance abuse in general, lack of residential and outpatient treatment programs and the ineffectiveness of halfway houses.

The priorities for the next steps identified by Valley residents were:

l expand public drug awareness and education activities, particularly among youths;

l expand the availability of residential treatment, especially for vulnerable and at-risk populations;

l initiate a system of consistent, comprehensive, public-funded recovery services;

l engage Valley residents to address the threat of substance abuse in their communities.

The report was funded through a $150,000-grant from the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, a governor-appointed private-public partnership and support from the Central California Area Social Services.

l A copy of the report can be downloaded on The Sentinel's Web site (Link to www.hanfordsentinel.com/meth.pdf

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(Jan. 5, 2009)