Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we collect data, both on the community counselling programs and the facility-based addiction treatment programs, but I don't have the specific details of both. Last year, I think this was about 200 NWT residents that accessed facility-based addictions treatment. The community counselling program and facility-based addiction treatment programs have performance monitoring framework in place which outlines data and indicating reporting requirements. The department also completes quality assurance audits of the community counselling programs delivered across...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the structure, we do have a CEO that oversees the NTHSSA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the Community Wellness and Addiction Recovery Fund, there is still funds available in there for communities to apply on. So I would say to have your -- like, to reach back out to the communities that you represent to see if they've applied on this fund. I can send you the information. Those -- they could create an on the land or a community program for the youth or any community member in their community. For youth addiction programs, we currently piloted a couple of programs. I can get more details to that to the Member for youth treatment, on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether it's in one department or it's in two departments, we do have dedicated staff that deal with the health stream and then we have dedicated staff that deal with the social services. Like, we have a director of social services that kind of deals and falls under that. The majority of the -- you know, like, the -- is the operation stuff which amalgamates into NTHSSA. So the authority is -- oversees both those two areas. So if the -- you know, it's not -- it's not -- I would not make that decision alone. But I don't -- I don't see that it would, you know...

Yes, you know, I -- as the Minister, you know, I have met with the unit. I have -- we have actually done a presentation to standing committee. You know, if the Member wants me to meet with him and if he wants to invite me to meet with him and the Dene Nation together to hear from them on what their thoughts are, you know I would be more than glad to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I did ask the NTHSSA to -- early when we -- you know, with the pressures that we were hearing of hotel rooms being full all the time, you know, that is impacting insured service patients that are flying down for doctors appointments because dental and everybody is flying into the capital, I did ask them to look at other options. That is currently being looked in right now. But clients who are NIHB can also work with NIHB directly if they can find appointments closer to home that's not here. And like I mentioned, in the Beaufort Delta a lot of our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the cohort of numbers are very low and they're specific to each -- like, the communities are so small, I am -- at this point, I'm not aware of how many of the residents that the Member is talking about have completed testing. And if there were any, you know, those are health -- private health medical records, and so that -- you know, I wouldn't be able to discuss those here freely on the floor of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my time as the Minister so far within this year, you know, we have excellent staff, you know, and, yes, they are -- they are tired and, yes, there are, you know, very -- not just at Stanton. In the regions, you know, you most recently hear about in the regions we have, you know, obstetrics closures, we have nursing stations that are on emergency services. And so what we're -- you know, like, what we're trying to do is we're looking at it as a whole of territory because as I said in the very beginning, this is a whole of territory issue, and Stanton...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, that level of information on record moving is very operational. And right now what we do know, and I have mentioned it in this house before, that our systems do not communicate with Alberta where a lot of our referrals go. So there is, you know, work going on right now to -- and I mentioned it in previous sessions that we are looking to upgrade the EMR, electronic medical records system, within the Northwest Territories. And with all of those options that have been raised by Members have been highlighted as things that we need to ensure that when...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, you know, I can commit to having that conversation again with the NTHSSA of what their practice is. I am not familiar of how long contracts are, if they're -- you know, I mean, in the past, you know, the only time I've ever seen a short enough contract in my time working in the health authority was within, you know, maybe over Christmas so that we didn't have to shut down services so maybe a two or three-week contract. But, you know, as the -- as it is now, we are struggling with staffing. And whether Members in this House or anywhere, you know, we don...