Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, was substance abuse and aftercare. I have a question for Minister Lee of Health and Social Services. Will this government adopt a duel system to provide an equal number of days for post-program assistance in their home community? For example, the participant spends 30 days in an addiction program and there will be a minimum of 30 days of professional support in their home community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not familiar with the program that the Member is mentioning, but I’d be happy to look into that. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to advise the Member that the Department of Health and Social Services is working with the Gwich’in Tribal Council and IRC. We are investing $600,000 over three years to do an aftercare program in Tuktoyaktuk. We are working in partnership with IRC. IRC is working with Tuk to develop the Aftercare Program. I had the occasion to talk to Mayor Gruben when I was there for the Beaufort-Delta meeting, and he was pleased with this development. At the same time, IRC has separate money where they are doing a community needs survey of addictions programs for the entire Beaufort-Delta region, and they are working with GTC in this regard. So we have lots of things happening in the Beaufort-Delta. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, this is a new program I’m asking for. It’s nothing to do with what you’re initiating right now. It’s a program that we’ve seen people get sent out of the community and coming back, no aftercare, and the next thing they’re back doing their passive abuse.
Mr. Speaker, given that across the Territory community governments and organizations are saying the same thing -- the communities’ number one problem is not enough counselling support -- will this government commit to a small, fully functional, around-the-clock, fully equipped addictions centre with nurses and counsellors in every community?
Tuktoyaktuk does have a community wellness worker as well as a mental health and addictions counsellor. As Member Jacobson as well as the community have told us, that they would like to see an enhanced aftercare program in Tuktoyaktuk, especially in light of the fact that they voted to go restricted. I don’t know about the program that the Member is asking. I have to look into that. But I think, as I said, IRC is working with us to use this money to do up pilot projects in Tuktoyaktuk. They want to concentrate on aftercare and family wellness. They are looking into doing family counselling and workshops, and coming out of this pilot project, they will have more concrete ideas about what more they want to do. I think definitely the Member’s idea could put into this to see if we could incorporate that somehow. Thank you.
Again, I love my home community of Tuktoyaktuk and my other three communities I represent in my riding. As mentioned in my previous Member’s statement, during my community visits in Nunakput and the mayors and the community leaders all identifying the lack of professional and social support as one of the most serious issues in the communities, Mr. Speaker. People are very passionate about these issues and have lots to say. As a government, we must listen and we must act. I think this government should review our current territorial strategy on addictions and other counselling programs that can conduct comprehensive community-based decision…
Question, Mr. Jacobson.
…on a go forward plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t know if I heard a question there. Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, to the Member. We are reviewing the Mental Health and Addictions Program. Yes, we are working with IRC to do what the Member is saying, aftercare programming in Tuk. Yes, I agree with the Member that there is a need in all of the Beaufort-Delta, which is the reason why IRC is doing a community needs survey for the entire region. The Member mentioned earlier that we should work with the federal government. I want to let him know that the Department of Health has submitted an application to the Mental Health Commission to get more money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
