Amy Winehouse’s Father Urges Parliament To Open Affordable Rehab Facility

"This isn't about Amy because we were in a fortunate position of being able to fund Amy to go into private rehab -- this is about people that can't afford it,"  Winehouse  told reporters.

Also accompanying Mitch was recovered addict-turned-addiction specialist Sarah Graham, who told The Guardian, “We didn't know Amy's death was going to happen, but we hope it will show people that addiction is something that can kill people when they are very young and that we should not wait until it is too late.

"Rehabilitation is more expensive than treatment in the community but in reality most desperate young people cannot access it," Graham said. "It might be because their dealer meets them at the school gates or it could be that they are getting abused at home."

Britain's only National Health Service (NHS) rehab center for young people, Middlegate, in Lincolnshire, closed last year, leaving young addicts facing either waits of up to two years for NHS treatment or expensive bills at private clinics.

"Rather than money being wasted through the criminal justice system, there could be a reallocation of funds," Winehouse said.

"There was one rehab center for juveniles and that's just shut down through lack of funding so we need to look at that. We need to be able to help our children."

In his eulogy at London’s Edgwarebury Cemetery last Tuesday, Mitch said he was interested in starting a foundation "to help those struggling with substance abuse.”