Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the health Minister.
What is the Minister's rationale for denying funding to Northerners who have completed treatment and are transitioning into essential aftercare and sober living programs outside the territory when existing programs are extremely limited and at capacity here in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the facility-based addiction program was created to be able to provide that out of territory initial treatment program; however, every person that has to leave the territory works with a caseworker, whether the caseworker is within -- some of them are embedded with Indigenous governments, some of them are embedded into Indigenous organizations, and some of them are our own GNWT staff. Those case managers work with the client on their treatment journey, and the journey on the return is part of that work that they do before they leave. And so a lot of times when people attend these out of territory programs, there are -- and every program in the south, there's all types of different programs that -- you know, and what we're trying to do right now is we're creating the program in the territory, which is the THARP, the transitional housing and aftercare recovery program, and that is an investment this government has put in to that. However, I know when I speak to residents and my own constituents on the aftercare piece, it does -- a lot of it does -- it's kind of like a whole of government. Many of our residents leave the territory when they're in active addiction and when they -- you know, when they're in an active addiction, they may be homeless. And so the big piece is working together with my counterparts on the plan on that goal of when they're coming back because that's what we've heard many times is that is the issue. The payment piece around that, we are in a -- with the health sustainability is reviewing this part, so we're waiting on that because we overspend every year about $5 million just on this program alone as it is. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the spirit of upholding treaties, Article 24 of UNDRIP on the rights of Indigenous people which affirms the rights to the highest standards without discrimination, also in line with Canada Health Act, my question -- yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Will the Minister commit today to funding out of territory aftercare services for our people who need help? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, as I mentioned, the facility-based addiction treatment, that policy, that funding pot, is under current review, and recommendations will be back soon from the health sustainability unit. When they get those back, we will work with my colleagues and, you know, we'll have conversations with Members on the other side of the House with what those recommendations are. However, we do have aftercare, mental health counselling. There's virtual aspects when people are coming back into the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker; I am trying to speak slow.
What concrete steps is the Minister taking to ensure that by the end of her term a growing network of Indigenous-led, trauma-informed addiction treatment, healing aftercare, and sober living services is established across the North, not only in Yellowknife but in small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this topic is at the core of why we created the working group through the Council of Leaders as all of the leaders throughout the territory want all of us to work together to find a solution. And so through that work, you know, there's partnerships with housing that we need to be -- as health is only one piece of that aftercare, it's -- you know, it's coming back into a system. And so what we are doing is -- right now is we've invested, just this government, into the transitional housing that is for people coming back and having supportive housing living. Once that -- the pilot and has been assessed, then we can come back to this government to continue to look at opening other areas in other parts of the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services.
Before we go any further I'd like to recognize Sheila Bassett-Kellett, former deputy minister, city manager, now our equal pay Commissioner. Welcome to your Assembly.
Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
