Debates of October 30, 2024 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Range Lake families with adopted children are struggling to get their loved ones the support and care they need once they go -- once they age into adulthood. Their disabilities and circumstances are no fault of their own and yet they are not being supported by the system. Does the Minister of Health and Social Services agree that families with adopted adult children have a right to the care they need regardless of their ability? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Member from Range Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not going to specifically categorize but I think all residents, you know, have a right to the care that they need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, knowing that, can the Minister explain why there's not a suite of services available to adult children -- or to children in social services who age into adulthood? There's no Pathfinders. There's -- it's very difficult to get information. I have constituents struggling to find answers. And when they're given, they're sent back to square one. So can the Minister find a way to make this process better and indicate if she'll make that commitment on the floor of the House? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, within our child and family services we have extended services to the -- before I think it used to be to 18 and now it's expanded to 24. My understanding within the system, these supports are supposed to be there to assist. However, this -- like, you know, coming from the Member, this is -- I've never -- I haven't had this come up through my office before so I'm willing to work with the Member to deal with, if there's a certain specific case or a family that's not getting the services that they require, I would work with the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will confirm with the Minister, because we have raised this with her office, but I -- we'll get to the bottom of that. But, Mr. Speaker, there is a paid -- a very successful paid pilot -- or paid community caregiver pilot project in the past, but it was discontinued due to lack of funds. This is a crucial support for these adult children in this situation. Can the Minister commit to bringing it back, or at least exploring the project to see if it could be brought back, within the next fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is another area within NTHSSA that is unfunded. It was a -- it was a pilot but it was unfunded so it added to the deficit. And so what was done with this project after review that the services could be, you know, done from within. But what I can do to commit to the Member is to going back to that information that I received and be able to respond to the Member later. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, all social services has to offer support for adult children in this situation is through employment. We have excellent NGOs doing work like the disabilities council of Inclusion NWT, but you need to be employed to get the benefit. So what is the Minister -- what does the department do for adult children in the system, in care, that cannot find employment; how are they supported? Thank you.