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| 30 April 2001 - North County Times Vista Partners Project fights meth abuse By Jo Moreland VISTA – Methamphetamine use is one of the toughest problems facing Vista and the region, but since 1999 the Vista Partners Project of the San Diego County Methamphetamine Strike Force has tackled the problem head on. "It's going extremely well," Vista Mayor Gloria McClellan said Sunday. "Who doesn't have a meth problem? But ARJIS (the Automated Regional Justice Information System) told us Friday morning that we have made more strides in lowering our crime rate than other North County cities, even those with their own police forces." The Vista Partners Project has played a role in that, marketing drug treatment and prevention methods in ways that people can understand, McClellan said. The project was started to see whether the strike force's 17 goals could be implemented in a single community in a county once known as the "meth capital of the world," said Linda Bridgeman-Smith, local project coordinator for the strike force. "It was a little difficult to find a community that was willing to admit they had a meth problem," she said. "Vista stepped up to the plate. It really kind of makes Vista the prevention capital of the county." With a three-year federal grant of $325,000 for salaries for three staff people and to pay law enforcement overtime, the Vista Partners Project went to work. Some strike force goals couldn't be addressed in Vista – such as working with Mexico – but many others could, Bridgeman-Smith said. Medical professionals have learned to identify young children put at risk by their parents and make sure the youngsters get help. Vista Unified School District employees have been trained to identify drugs. A youth conference was held last year to reinforce responsible behavior among older school students and another one will be held this year, Bridgeman-Smith said. A list of available resources to fight drug abuse is now available for everyone released from the Vista jail. Meth lab warning signs were placed on North County Transit District Buses in English and Spanish. Vista sheriff's deputies are supervising half of 80 probationers who have abused meth to make sure they get drug treatment and stay in it as part of the Operation House Call study project. "About 80 percent of the 40 (being supervised) are doing what they are supposed to do," Bridgeman-Smith said. In the coming month, the Vista Partners Project is launching an education program aimed at merchants to be sure clerks know about the laws limiting sales of drugs used to make meth. The project also is working with the Vista Community Clinic to expand its drug screening and intervention services and a federal program is being sought for drug intervention and prevention services, community revitalization and community policing in the Townsite area. Anyone who wishes to help may call Bridgeman-Smith at (760) 535-7683. Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 901-4085 or e-mail jmoreland@nctimes.com |
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