Debates of February 10, 2006 (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning will be for Mr. Miltenberger as the Minister of Health and Social Services. They relate to the field of mental health services and legislation in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the Social Programs committee, in its report to the Assembly, referred to the pre-budget consultations that were held last fall in a number of communities. I will paraphrase, Mr. Speaker. The report told us that there is not a lot of buy-in at the local level for the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. Anecdotally, Members were told there is a real disconnect between residents and what we heard were primarily southern-hired mental health workers. The communities were pleading that if they were given the dollars and the mandate, they felt they could do a much better job of this.

Mr. Speaker, we have dozens of workers engaged in mental health, community wellness and addictions services, but, given the response that the communities have told us, it just doesn’t seem to be working. What is the Minister’s response to this really quite disturbing report that we are not making much headway? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will be sharing with the Members the document done by Dr. Chalmers which was a review of the work that has been taking place over the last number of years, based on her initial assessment of the addictions and mental health services in the North back in 2001, which was called, A State of Emergency. From that document, we came up with an action plan that committed us to a course of action across the North that saw us do a much better job in terms of bringing addictions workers on stream, setting up mental health workers, supervisors, all based on the fundamental principle that it is best to put resources at the community level. We put in over 77 positions. That document by Dr. Chalmers will be, as I said, shared to the Members and made public next week.

The title for her report is called Stay the Course, and Building and Keeping the Foundation That We Have Set Up Over the Last Number of Years is the basic title. I am always interested in the feedback that the committee provides us, but when this document comes out, the committee has a chance to look at it. Then we can sit down and have an informed discussion about how we intend to move forward. We will also be coming forward with a response from the department on how we intend to respond to those recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you. I guess I will take that one as notice, then, until the report comes out, Mr. Speaker.

On the clinical side of this question, my colleague from Hay River South told us, when she addressed this issue a couple of days ago, that 36 percent of our hospital admissions are for mental health and addictions related causes. Mr. Speaker, are we adequately resourced in our hospitals and clinics to deal with this disturbing and substantial problem in admissions and care in our hospital system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, doctors would confirm that, in fact, a significant amount of their practice is tied to mental health issues and related circumstances, as are most other health practitioners. We have a significant amount of resources. We have a $265 million budget. A lot of it is focussed on nurses, doctors, social workers, wellness workers and mental health workers. There will always be more problems than we have resources for. The issue is to make sure that, I think, the resources we have are put to the most effective use and that our plan for the future reflects the required changes. When I put the Chalmer’s report before the committee, they will be able to give us their feedback in terms of what they think of Dr. Chalmers' assessment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Well, we have been put on notice again to the Chalmers report. Mr. Speaker, our Mental Health Act is, I discussed in my Member’s statement, a piece of legislation that is badly out of date in accordance with professional, legal and administrative standards. An impression that I have been given is if we can modernize this, we are not only going to be able to give people better care and do it quicker, we are also going to be saving a lot of human resources and money. Would the Minister advise that we will see the modernization and updating of our mental health legislation during the life of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the rewriting of the Mental Health Act is on our legislative to-do list, but I don’t anticipate that it will make it on to the doable legislative agenda. We are focussing right now before the House on the Tobacco Act, but the two major pieces that we now have to get done in this Assembly are the rewrite of the Public Health Act as well as the Pharmacy Act. We have dozens of other pieces of legislation that have to be updated, one of which is the Mental Health Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am well aware that Health and Social Services is the department with the single most pieces of legislation under its watch. The modernization of this act is not a small piece of work. It is going to require a lot of consultation across a lot of fields. It is important that we start this work, even if it is not something that is going to be achievable in the length of this Assembly. Would the Minister commit to at least considering starting the consultation process, working toward the rewrite of this act perhaps in the next Assembly, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been work done looking at what would be required to modernize and rewrite this legislation. We are going to continue to pay as much attention as we can to that issue as we try to conclude with major pieces of legislation currently underway. It comes down to a capacity and resource issue. The Member’s points are all accurate and valid. This is an outdated piece of legislation. We will make our best efforts to make sure that we have as much work done so that, at the start of the next Assembly, it can be picked up and moved forward. Thank you.