Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This is in line with my Member's statement about mental health, and I want to thank my colleague from Great Slave for answering some of the questions. I apologize if I am being redundant here. Back in my Member's statement, I mentioned a little bit about mental health and susceptibilities and whatnot. Within my next few questions, in front of my colleagues, I want to think about those people who are suffering from mental health maladies in our small communities. I know that, in places like Yellowknife, here in Yellowknife and a lot of larger centres, there are a lot of resources, but if you're in a place like Colville Lake or Ulukhaktok or Lutselk'e or Trout Lake, you can't just get up and talk to somebody. My first question to the Minister of Health is: Where can one go after hours to help those who are in mental health distress? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If people are in distress, they should go to the health centre. The health centre is there for mental and physical health. They should contact the nurse on call and tell them that they are having a mental health crisis. Thank you.
Marsi cho for the response. In my Member's statement, too, I want to keep it really simple out there for those who are listening, as well. Marsi cho for that. I know that there are still times where people are referred to mental health specialists, i.e., counsellor or psychologist, and I just wanted to see what some of the average wait times are once that ball gets rolling.
We have instituted, as of a year ago, a new way of offering community counselling, which involves no wait time. Instead of scheduling series of appointments for individuals, there are blocks of time that are unscheduled where people can make a same-day appointment or they can make a drop-in appointment. The waiting time for the Community Counselling Program is zero, but for specialized services, such as needing to see a psychiatrist, there may, in fact, be a wait time for that. I can certainly find out what it is and let the Member know.
Yes. That's a good bit of information. I look forward to hearing more back from the department on that. Just, again, switching it up a little bit, if you're in the communities, we don't have the resources that you have in larger centres, and I have a few more questions about the mental health first aid program that the department offers. Given the pandemic, is this program still being rolled out throughout the territory?
No. That program has been suspended because of the pandemic.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. That's really good to know. Just to close out here, when somebody gets cut or hurt or breaks a bone, the Salvation Army offers first aid. You can administer first aid. Same thing with mental health. It's just as serious. I think this is something that needs to be looked at. I think the department should look at this hard because, right now, like I said in my Member's statement, we are very susceptible, all of us, and to take a serious look at that. We need to get these programs rolling out to the grassroots level everywhere and address this issue. Marsi cho.
I want to emphasize again how seriously the department takes the need to provide a variety of mental health supports to all residents of the NWT. It's my understanding that, in the Member's riding, they don't have resident counsellors in Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution, but they do fly in on a schedule and provide in-person services. Between appointments, they can provide phone and virtual services. In cases where people don't have phones to do follow-up appointments, the department will also look at providing a cell phone for that purpose. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
