Bob Bromley

Thank you, Sergeant. I’d like to ask the Minister to please introduce your witnesses.

I am very happy that this review is going forward. I think it is great that the department has had the initiative to do this. Again, I think this is probably a given that the Standing Committee on Social Programs would appreciate the opportunity to have input on the terms of reference for those sorts of reviews because I can say as an MLA for Weledeh, that I have had many issues and concerns from my constituents over the years in this area and have developed some concerns and an awareness of the sorts of things that are happening out there. I am very happy to see this review going ahead and I...

Thank you, Minister. Next on my list I have Mr. Ramsay.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order and we’re working on the Department of Health and Social Services. I’d like to ask the Minister if you will be having witnesses today. Minister.

I am sure the Minister sees the dilemma that I am trying to sort out here that here we are putting a program together but not providing any dollars for it, even for its implementation. So you know we are preparing a plan that we could have to wait another year to implement, that is what I am wondering. I know the Minister has also mentioned in terms of the five community child and family services committees they were hoping to establish has been trying to get that going and sampling the water out there, working with communities. I am wondering if the community of Dettah or Yellowknife have...

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Ms. Lee.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

I assume that holds for how long the program has been going too. Jurisdictions that have had this, as I mentioned in a Member’s statement several days ago and I profiled the advances and benefits that have been achieved with programs like this, I am wondering have we an evaluation program in place. If we do, when can we get the results on that and, if not, can we get that in place? I think, again, possibly this is our single biggest opportunity for savings and gains in both lives and consequences. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lee.

I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Obviously this is not something you want to see continue.

Mr. Speaker, this leads us to the issue of outpatient readmission, recognizing again the complexity. I know patients who are released, only to immediately go to a return of their drug and alcohol abuse, which are core elements of their mental health illness. Then when requests are made for readmission it’s refused, because substance abuse is deemed to be a behavioural problem requiring referral of the patient to alcohol and drug counselling and treatment. If patients were sufficiently ill in...