Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I understand there are addictions treatment options in the South for residents of the Northwest Territories to attend. What these facilities have is qualified counselling services. The health Minister has stated several times that the on-the-land program offered by the health department can be accessed by First Nations. The program description states, "This will support community-based and operated on-the-land programs that have clear stated goals and outcome to treat addictions." Will the Minister commit to having the department assist with identifying qualified counselling services that can be accessed by First Nations wanting to provide addictions counselling as part of their on-the-land initiatives? Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Deh Cho region has a number of supports available for individuals experiencing addictions. The Community Counselling Program is one example that is available to all residents in the region. It's currently fully staffed and is located in Simpson, Providence, and Fort Liard. These counsellors provide support to residents in the Deh Cho communities, using telephones for communities that don't have a resident counsellor. Since the onset of COVID-19, the Community Counselling Program has shifted to providing services over the phone or using virtual options like Zoom or FaceTime. We are looking at some of the ways that we can do on-the-land programming, keeping in mind that we have the COVID-19. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi for that. They also state that they have a variety of supports and tools, and a successful aftercare program is required. Will the Minister commit to providing funding and resources to First Nations to provide alcohol and drug counsellors for the ongoing aftercare program required for a successful addictions treatment program?
The department has a budget for mental health and addictions in the tune of $17,463,000. It includes on-the-land. It includes facility-based addiction treatment programs, community-based counselling, youth addictions prevention, withdrawal management models, aftercare options that support addressing homelessness. There are quite a variety of programs that our department is doing to address mental wellness and addictions.
Masi for that. On my first one, she states that they have community counselling programs, but she didn't answer the part whether they would be available to First Nations as part of their on-the-land initiatives. That's going out on the land, whether it's down the river or in the winter programs. I didn't get an answer on that one, if maybe the Minister can clarify on that one.
The first question was kind of a two-fold question, so I maybe answered the first one but not the second one. On the second one, in terms of the on-the-land funding, on-the-land funding is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Services authorities and the various Indigenous groups to provide on-the-land funding, and these programs that are available to everybody.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
I have no more questions.
