Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about trauma and how it affects families in our northern territory. We do have many different programs available such as alcohol, substance abuse, et cetera. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if there is a coordinated strategy to help the families out there suffering, and individuals, with regard to improving their mental health and well-being. Some will go to addictions counselling and sometimes it’s not enough and there are other aspects affecting their lives. Has there been a coordinated approach or something similar to look at this area which I feel is lacking?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is, in the government, Health and Social Services has a Mental Health and Addictions Program that we’re looking at that’s been developed over the years, that has evolved. There is another report that’s following up on the state of emergency, and state, of course, the reviews that were done of the Addictions and Mental Health Program. At the same time, most of the other practitioners, social workers, nurses all have some training to deal with the issue of trauma. The issue of trauma is a very wide one. There could be physical trauma; there could be very specific types of other trauma. We have some capacity to deal with those issues. We do provide those to one degree or another.
I just wonder if there’s anybody in the department who is taking a coordinated approach and applying a medical concept to the word “trauma,” because we’ve got many, many issues in the North. The most recent, of course, is the residential school symptoms and syndromes. However, it’s as a result of trauma that leads to alcoholism and family abuse. It’s prevalent throughout families, affecting children and their ability to go to school. Is there a coordinated approach to mental health and wellness? It seems we have individual programming, and Members in this House speak to it often on individual different programming.
There is a coordinated approach. There are these broad programs, mental health and addictions programs, and all the other programs that are flowed through the various health boards. Each health board then in turn delivers those programs at a community level with the resources they have available with some common standards. There is a significant amount of work that was done in how addictions workers were going to get paid and what type of job descriptions. Mental health workers, community health workers, wellness workers. We’ve invested a significant amount of money in this area, and I agree with the Member that it is a significant area and still there is work that needs to be done. We’re just waiting for the last final report to see about what suggested changes are needed for this program to continue to evolve.
I’d like to know as well as our health professionals out there, is that specific to their job description, trauma, and/or is there training available to them?
There is a range of training that’s available. Of course, the more detailed the training as you move up the ladder in terms of those qualifications with degrees, psychologists, psychiatrists, those type of things where you’re going to specialize in addictions all require additional work. Depending on the job and the job qualifications, that range will apply, and some are entry level and some are more advanced. They cover that whole range of experience that the Member is referring to.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The funding that’s available to the small and remote communities for health and wellness is about $5,000 and it’s usually specifically targeted to alcohol or substance abuse. This is what I was speaking about when I talked about a community-driven program that they want to see. It’s often limited. Is there a way that the Minister will look at loosening some of those guidelines and provide alternative and specific trauma available to the communities?
As we have this dialogue in the House, I have staff making note, and I will commit to the Member that we will have discussions with the Health and Social Services Authority in Simpson to look at some of the concerns and possibly follow up for further clarification from the Member so that we can look at the right areas and to give the appropriate response to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
