Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I talked in my statement about mental health and addictions programs and services in the NWT and about the needs that we have and that we don’t have the resources to meet those needs.

I mentioned the mental health review that the Minister mentioned to us in the last couple of days. My first question to the Minister is if she could advise what the focus of this particular mental health and addictions review is.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we’ve heard already, this is Mental Wellness Week and I want to speak on it as well.

It’s no secret to any of us that in the NWT our communities and our residents struggle with the issue of mental health. We struggle for any number of reasons: the after-effects of residential school, drug and alcohol addictions, the aftermath of child apprehensions, family violence, stress from parenting, caring for elders or parents, and just from being a kid in today’s world. As a government we struggle to help our people be mentally well, especially our youth. Incidents of youth...

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, February 10, 2011, it shall be adjourned until Monday, February 14, 2011;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to February 14, 2011, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to hear about the legislation being looked at, because to me that is the crux of the issue of why we release patients way too early. They’re not ready to be released but they can’t be held. Can the Minister advise if there are recommendations to change the legislation and when that might come forward?

I’d like to thank the Minister for the response. I have to say that I noted in there that there was no reference to an increase in funding, which is very unfortunate. I talked in my Member’s statement about the needs of the mentally ill when they are released from hospital particularly, or some other area. To me it’s an area where our residents and patients are particularly vulnerable. I’d like to know if the review will look at the after-care needs of the patients once they are released and will it also look at the after-care needs in light of the service providers who try to assist patients...

We lack mental health workers. The larger communities don’t have enough and some smaller communities have no workers at all. The list is seemingly endless.

The GNWT budget needs to place a greater priority -- and by that I mean money -- on mental programs and services for our residents. The benefits, both human and financial, that accrue are immeasurable.

Mr. Chairman, thanks for the answer. I wanted to go back just quickly to the Joe Greenland Centre staffing. The documentation that we received, I know it is from the NWT Housing Corporation and Health and Social Services. A little while ago we received a briefing note which indicated that two home support workers would probably be hired. The Minister mentioned up to two home support workers at one point and then a little later on in her remarks she stated hiring of one home support worker, so could I get a clarification as to how many staff are being hired for the renovated portion of Joe...

Obviously things change over months. The business plan stated that the review had been completed, but there we are. I certainly look forward to the review when it’s done. I would hope that the review would come with some sort of an action plan at the time that we get it.

I wanted to also ask the Minister about the staffing for the Joe Greenland Centre. I know the purpose of that facility is changing. It will be seniors housing. Yes, I guess kind of home care assisted housing to a certain extent. There are any number of employees there who I gather will not be able to be employed. My question...

Thanks to the Minister. I totally understand that there are resources that are required. I guess I’m trying to understand why the business plan in September indicated that resources would be available in budget year 2011-2012 to establish five committees and now that money seems to have disappeared.

I also want to mention, and I believe it’s in the Child and Family Services Act review report, that one size does not fit all in terms of child and family service committees and we emphasized in the report that there needs to be flexibility in how these committees are established. In some...

Thanks, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that passionate response. I was not suggesting that there was not will to accommodate these people. I’m asking the Minister to look to the future and to try to envision a different method of accommodating people who need assisted living, and that means supervision for some of those. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, no question.