Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we collect data, both on the community counselling programs and the facility-based addiction treatment programs, but I don't have the specific details of both. Last year, I think this was about 200 NWT residents that accessed facility-based addictions treatment. The community counselling program and facility-based addiction treatment programs have performance monitoring framework in place which outlines data and indicating reporting requirements. The department also completes quality assurance audits of the community counselling programs delivered across...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Within the policy, there -- there are -- we do have the policy. So if there are decision-making, if there are -- there are exceptions to some of those policies. I can't speak to the specific case but like I said, every case is looked at individually because there's -- every time we get BFs, you know, there's more information, there's -- everything is so complex for every different person. It's not the same for every single person that's travelling. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the Community Wellness and Addiction Recovery Fund, there is still funds available in there for communities to apply on. So I would say to have your -- like, to reach back out to the communities that you represent to see if they've applied on this fund. I can send you the information. Those -- they could create an on the land or a community program for the youth or any community member in their community. For youth addiction programs, we currently piloted a couple of programs. I can get more details to that to the Member for youth treatment, on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the medical travel policy is -- like, as I mentioned in this House many times, right now we're in the midst of reviewing this entire process of medical travel, of moving people within the Northwest Territories. It is a complex process. There are approximately about 1,800 medical travel cases annually requiring many, you know, logistics. So when we -- when we're looking at the different types -- so when people are moving -- going for appointments, insured service appointments, so doctor’s appointments, there's one way of doing that. If they're going for...

Yes, you know, I -- as the Minister, you know, I have met with the unit. I have -- we have actually done a presentation to standing committee. You know, if the Member wants me to meet with him and if he wants to invite me to meet with him and the Dene Nation together to hear from them on what their thoughts are, you know I would be more than glad to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the structure, we do have a CEO that oversees the NTHSSA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether it's in one department or it's in two departments, we do have dedicated staff that deal with the health stream and then we have dedicated staff that deal with the social services. Like, we have a director of social services that kind of deals and falls under that. The majority of the -- you know, like, the -- is the operation stuff which amalgamates into NTHSSA. So the authority is -- oversees both those two areas. So if the -- you know, it's not -- it's not -- I would not make that decision alone. But I don't -- I don't see that it would, you know...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I did ask the NTHSSA to -- early when we -- you know, with the pressures that we were hearing of hotel rooms being full all the time, you know, that is impacting insured service patients that are flying down for doctors appointments because dental and everybody is flying into the capital, I did ask them to look at other options. That is currently being looked in right now. But clients who are NIHB can also work with NIHB directly if they can find appointments closer to home that's not here. And like I mentioned, in the Beaufort Delta a lot of our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the cohort of numbers are very low and they're specific to each -- like, the communities are so small, I am -- at this point, I'm not aware of how many of the residents that the Member is talking about have completed testing. And if there were any, you know, those are health -- private health medical records, and so that -- you know, I wouldn't be able to discuss those here freely on the floor of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what will happen is the current staff will transition into the new building. There hasn't been any planning on new staff, but what I will say is that we are in the process -- in the early processes of looking at our health centres and the model of how we provide health services in our communities, in our small communities and so, you know, that's going to take some time and analysis to look through because, you know, what happens in some small communities is not the same in the other. Some communities are bigger. So at this point, no. Thank you.