KPBS Evening Edition

Free Drug Screening Offered For San Diego County Teens

By Dwane Brown / KPBS Evening Edition Anchor/Reporter

Published October 18, 2013 at 1:28 PM PDT

This story was published more than 11 years ago.

According to the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 75 percent of high-school students have used addictive substances. The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency has funded a new program to try and combat teen drug-use in the county. Four San Diego rehab programs will now provide free, initial drug tests for teenagers.

One of the rehab centers that will provide free drug screening is The McAlister Institute. Jeanne McAlister founded the institute more than 35 years ago, and has been sober for more than 50 years. She said her program is to help adults and children reconnect to family and reality.

Patrick Foley, a program manager at McAlister, counsels children as young as 12. He said drinking, smoking pot and taking prescription drugs from parents is on the rise, and kids are using drugs for longer periods of time.

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“A lot of time what we see at drug treatment is that the parents are so devastated because, when it comes to a head, they’ve been lied to a lot longer than they thought,” Foley said.

The free tests are also available at Mental Health Systems, Palavara Tree and Phoenix House.

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Dwane Brown

Brown started his career with KPBS in the early '90s as a radio anchor and reporter before expanding his broadcast news experience at CBS radio and television in New York. He’s been a news director, anchor, reporter and correspondent in San Francisco and has worked as a writer, producer, assignment editor and talk show host. He returned to KPBS in 2005. As the former anchor for KPBS Evening Edition, Brown provided an in-depth look at issues and stories relevant to San Diego. He spent nearly seven years as anchor/host of Morning Edition on KPBS Radio. Between 2006 and 2010, the San Diego Press Club named Brown "Best Morning Newscaster" in San Diego Radio. In 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists also named him "Best Morning Newscaster." During that time he managed and taught a two-week high school boot camp for aspiring radio reporters at KPBS in conjunction with the California Chicano News Media Association. Brown studied English/Journalism at San Diego State University and is a Fast Trac graduate from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He’s a popular public speaker and Toastmaster International member. He’s been master of ceremonies for the American Red Cross, VA Medical Center San Diego, Urban League, San Diego Office of Emergency Services and numerous foundations. Brown is also a voice actor for movie, documentary, television, radio and Internet projects.

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