Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the Member's comments. Just for clarity, it is about $9 million through Health and Social Services. That does not include money that is being spent by Education, Culture and Employment or any of the other partners on this file. About $7.9 million of that is GNWT, and the other $1.04 or $1.05 million is actually coming from Health Canada, and there is important work in this area.
Some breakdowns, just as an example so the Member can see some of the areas that we are spending the money on, is pre-natal and post-natal, there is about $2.4 million going into midwifery, the healthy pregnancy program, and regional pre-natal and parenting programs. We have an infant feeding and nutrition program for $344,000. We have some prevention and intervention work, around $3 million. About $38,000 of that comes from Health Canada, and that is the healthy families, traditional housing, those types of things that we are supporting. So there is a pretty significant list to the work that we are doing, and although it doesn't show in this area, but it is related, is the increased investment in midwifery as we begin to roll out the territorial program. There are a number of areas that we are doing work, and there are some really interesting work being done, too, in the Aboriginal health and community wellness division. They have done some incredible work on breastfeeding and those types of things for Indigenous parents. That is some really great work, and we have some great materials that I would be happy to share with the Member or any other Member who is interested in seeing some of that work. It is pretty exciting, solid work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Next on the list, we have Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to ask a question, and I don't know specifically where it might fall under, but it is in regard to the itinerant model for the pilots that ran in some communities in the Deh Cho. I could likely make reference to the community of Fort Providence, for it was a shift of resources of guidance counsellors to mental health workers who worked in schools, and in particular in Fort Providence, you know, the positions were created of child and youth care counsellors. I understand that, you know, it was a pilot. There is the move toward expanding upon that whole program initiative and move to other regions. I just wanted to understand whether there have been, you know, some lessons learned, some best practices perhaps that have been analyzed, and whether there is going to be a report to ensure that there is a consistent role for the schools to play, and the community, as well. I just wanted to get a sense of what is the process, what is next for this program initiative. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The child and youth counsellor program that we are rolling out isn't a pilot. I mean, we have done a significant amount of research. We have heard from youth across this territory in what they wanted to see, and we have actually started rolling the program out. It is a four-year rollout. We rolled out the Tlicho and the Deh Cho last fiscal year, or rather the current fiscal year, and there was new one position added in Fort Providence, by way of example. There were other positions in the Deh Cho, as well. Almost all the positions are filled. I think we are still running one supervisor vacancy and one counsellor position vacant, but I believe we are really close to having that other position, not the supervisor, but the other one filled as we speak.
We are rolling out the Beaufort-Delta and the Sahtu in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, so that is a significant number of positions that are going to be created in that region. Although it is not a pilot, we anticipate that we will continue to learn as we roll out, and, if changes are necessary, we are open to making those changes, whether it is changing the types of positions or other things, but at this point, it seems to be going fairly well.
We have memorandums of understanding with the schools that will articulate clearly how much time those counsellors will be spending in the schools, because it is really important for them to be in the schools, not just the health centres. One of the primary differences between what was being done before and what is being done now is we have individuals with a certain skill set, knowledge skills and abilities, and they work year-round because, as we know, mental health issues don't take a summer holiday, like students do, and we need to make sure they have support year-round. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is the clarity I was seeking in terms of what could be the next stages of this initiative. I don't question the intent and spirit behind the initiatives that will ensure that our youth get the attention that they deserve, especially in terms of mental health counselling, so that was the purpose of my question.
I'm just trying to understand further whether there would be an opportunity to ensure that, other than the memorandum of understanding that has been struck between the department with the boards of education, but ensuring that the schools, you know, the teachers work as a team. To bring in a counsellor, they have to be part of the team. So I just wanted to understand and to ensure that people are communicating at all levels, and that there is a level of coordination. I heard the Minister say that fiscal resources are pretty limited, so if we have an impact, we try to have a maximum impact. I just wanted to be assured that there will be at least an assessment and some analysis done on a go-forward basis, ensuring that everybody is on the same level, including the new positions that are created within the schools. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really appreciate the Member's comments about the relationship that is necessary between Health and Social Services and the school system. When we entered into this initiative, there was a lot of conversation that, the school boards, some of them actually have some dollars to do something like this, and they haven't always been able to do it, but one of the goods things was those people were employees of the school boards and they were part of the team. We didn't want to lose that team environment. We didn't want to lose that relationship, but we also accepted that it has to move beyond just the school year. That's where the memorandums of understanding really come into place. We're really trying to embed that idea that you are part of the team and you need to be there in the schools, but at the same time we also recognize that some of the children who are struggling the most aren't attending school. They will spend some time out of the school, but during the school year, most of their time will be spent in the schools. We certainly want to make sure that we're not missing those kids who are not attending.
As far as evaluation and monitoring, this is a new approach. This is something we haven't done before, and we're rolling it out over a number of years. We're looking at how it has worked each rollout, hoping and intending to learn from each of those rollouts, and it is something that is certainly going to need to be monitored over time so that we can determine whether or not we're getting the real value for the money that we're spending.
Having said all that, this is what the kids told us they wanted. This is the approach they wanted us to take, and we are optimistic that we will begin to see those results that I think everybody in this Assembly wants to see. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Nadli.
No further questions.
Thank you, committee. I know we're on a roll, here, but we'll continue after a short break.
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Thank you, committee. I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Next on our list, we have Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have questions here about Avens. When I have attended Avens AGMs in the last couple of years, the balance sheet has shown that they are in the hole or about to go into the hole.
It is my understanding that the Minister offered an operational review to Avens to assess whether they were adequately funded. I am wondering if the money that we see that is extra in residential care adults and children corresponds to the results of that operational review or whether those are different entities.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We haven't put money in here to address the operational review because we only just got the operational review to us. We are working with Avens right now to analyze that report and make sure that everybody understands it. I think that there is work that we have to do, and there is work that Avens has to do. That work is under way. I am interested in, obviously, meeting with committee with Avens, together at the same time, to go through that report and help them understand some of the challenges that we both face.
In 2017-2018, we covered the shortfall to Avens from within the NTHSSA, and for 2018-2019, we are trying right now to actually quantify what the shortfall is. We have got a couple more weeks in this fiscal year that will help us figure out exactly what that cost is, and we will figure out how to cover that from within, but we can't keep doing that, obviously. This operational review is going to help us inform how we move forward, which may require some supplements.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister for that answer. What is it about the report that needs this additional analysis and work? What am I missing there? Don't we pay people to write reports that we can understand? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Sure, absolutely, but as people come back with information, they do apply some principles and theories that may be beyond some of the scope of what we are currently doing and providing. In this particular case, there were recommendations about how work is provided or how work flows within Avens. They want to look at their operations to see what opportunities exist there and what that might equate to once they attempt to implement some of those things. There is work that needs to be done so that we can actually totally have a sense of what the costs will be.
In the report, there are also some suggestions that we modify our hours of care. We know that some jurisdictions use the hours of care that they have suggested, but many or most don't. We want to make sure that, before we make decisions, we are fully aware of the consequences of those decisions and that whatever we do makes sense, both from an operational, a human, and a financial point-of-view.
We are trying to wrap our heads around the implications of some of the suggestions, and they are just that, Mr. Chair. Some of them are simply recommendations. There are some financial things that have been identified, and I think we are doing our due diligence, and we are working with our partner.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is the Minister planning to share this report with the committee? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Absolutely, Mr. Chair. I am hoping to come to committee with Avens, hopefully during this sitting. I think we have a request to meet with the committee during this sitting. We just need to make sure that, when we come in, we have some of those policy questions figured out. That is what we are working on right now with Avens. My intention is to do it in this sitting, probably towards the end of this sitting, and do it in cooperation with Avens.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you. That is appreciated, that there will be a meeting of all of the parties with the standing committee in the next two or so weeks.
Is it possible that the committee could receive the report ahead of time so that we are starting with the same information as our guests? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We will endeavour to have that report to committee three days prior to the meeting that we schedule with them.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you. I appreciate that commitment. My next question has to do with the allocation of money for the day shelter and the sobering program. I am looking on page 177.
I guess my question is: are we talking about the same day shelter in Yellowknife as the one on this page that is combined with the Anti-Poverty Fund? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Mr. Chair, on page 176, there is an increase of about $1.73 million, which is going to the combined day shelter/sobering centre. That is a new ask. That is new money to help provide the range of services that we are providing in the sobering centre.
The money that the Member is referring to on the other page, there is $1 million for the anti-poverty, and then $150,000. $75,000 goes to Inuvik; $75,000 goes towards the day shelter here in Yellowknife.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you. Could the Minister please point me to the place on the page where the $1.73 million is? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Mr. Chair, it mostly shows up on page 176 under line B, community and mental health and addictions and, yes, $1.734 million.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Minister Abernethy.
Mr. Chair, I think it is important to recognize because, if you just added one number to the next, it wouldn't add up, but there have been some sunsets in that area as well. There was a grant in kind to Rockhill Apartments that would have fallen into this line that has been sunsetted. There is a home and community care, mental health and addictions service bilateral funding agreement, $300,000. That is one that is coming back, right? So that will come back, and then there is $542,000 for the Mental Health Act implementation, and that also comes back. Then there is some money that was allocated to the Yellowknife sobering centre, which has also sort of sunsetted, but we're bringing it back through other means. So It doesn't add up. We can provide the breakdown to show where the ins and outs are, so that it is clear.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sure, a breakdown would be helpful. I guess the other thing I am trying to understand is why the money appears in two places instead of just in one. Why doesn't that day shelter money get included in the line that has community mental health and addictions? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Ms. Mathison.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is really just the way the budget for the project evolved. It started with an allocation from the antipoverty fund, and then we forward to request the additional money through the business planning process as a separate project and just loaded the budget in two different spots because of that. They are, yes, they are all funding the one project. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Mathison. Ms. Green.
Thank you for that response. Is there any thought to actually combining them and calling them "the day shelter and the sobering centre" and putting them into one place under contribution agreements to the service provider? Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It seems like a reasonable recommendation. We will endeavour to do that for the next budget that is before the House.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Ms. Green.
Thank you to the witnesses for their responses. I have nothing further.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Any further questions, committee? Seeing none, I will call the page. Community health programs, operations expenditure summary, 2019-2020 main estimates, $180,818,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
