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8TuesdayJuly232013ByRENEFRANCOEURAnyoneintheNorthwestTerritoriesneedingaresi-dentialtreatmentcentreforaddictionswillhavetotravelsouthofthe60thparallelbe-ginningthisSeptember.TheonlysuchfacilityintheNWTisonitswaytowindingdownoperationsforgoodfollowingaJuly11announcementfromthede-partmentofHealthandSocialServicesthatitisdiscontinu-ingfundingtotheNatsejeeKehTreatmentCentreontheKatlodeecheFirstNationre-servelocatedjustoutsideofHayRiverwhenthecentrescontractexpiresonSept.30.Thesuddenverdicthascausedastirofemotion.RangeLakeMLADarylDolynnyquestionsthedeci-sionsayingthequicknewsandlackofdiscussionre-gardingatransitionperiodforthecentreconcernshim.Theguidingprinciplesofthe17thLegislativeAssem-blyclearlystatethatexceptunderextraordinarycircum-stancesmembersoftheLeg-islativeAssemblyshouldhavetheopportunitytodiscusssignicantannouncementschangesorinitiativesbeforetheyarereleasedtothepub-licDolynnysaidinapressreleaselastTuesday.PulledfundingfromtreatmentcentreraisesconcernsNewaddictionsprogrammingtorolloutinApril2014HeaddedthatmembersofthestandingcommitteeonSocialProgramswereonlybriefedbythehealthministeronJuly10andhadnooppor-tunityforcomment-amoveinconsistentwithconsensusgovernment.AccordingtoDolynnytherearemanygapsinter-ritorialaddictionsandwell-nessprograms.WeneedtolookatthefullrangeofservicesforallNWTresidentsnotjustaselectfewhesaid.Wearefail-ingpeoplewhoneedaproperdetoxicationprogramoraAnotherfactorcontribut-ingtothedecisionisNatsejeeKehsdifcultyinrecruitingandretainingqualiedstaff.Thatmeantthatthepatientscominginatafairlyvulnerableissomethingwearediscuss-ingaswell.Programspresentlyinplacearenotimprovingtheaddic-tionssituationincommuni-tiesBeaulieusaid.WereseeingagreatlevelofaddictioninthecommunitiessoweresayingletsdosomethingdifferentletsaskthepeopleandtheygaveustheiranswersattheMinistersForumsoletslistentowhatthepeoplewant.Residentialaddictionstreat-mentoptionswillcontinuetobeprovidedtoNWTresidentsasthedepartmentisintheprocessofnegotiatingmorecontractswithanumberofsoutherntreat-mentprogramsinAlbertaandBritishColumbia.Thesecon-tractsshouldbeinplacebytheendofJuly2013.BeaulieuheldameetingJuly12withtheboardatNatsejeeKeh.ItwasagoodinformativemeetingandtheyunderstoodthedirectionweretakingBeaulieusaid.Theirmainconcernwasmakingsurethattherewouldstillbeaser-viceprovidedtopeopleandIthinktheywerecomfortablethatthereissomethinghap-peningtheresmovementonthiswhichiswhateveryonewantstosee.Beaulieusaidhebelievedthecentrewillbewindingdownoperations.Dolynnysaidhedoessup-portBeaulieusintenttoim-provecommunitywellnessbutwouldlikemoreinforma-tionaboutwhatstobecomeofNatsejeeKeh.Wehaveskilledcarework-erstherewhohavehelpedalotofpeopleovertheyearsDolynnysaid.IwouldliketoknowwhattheplanisforthemandjustwhattheplanisformentalhealthandaddictionsserviceforallNortherners.HealthWellnessAddictionsThiscallsforaredesignofhowwedeliveraddictiontreatmentprogramsrightacrosstheterritorieswhetheritbeonthelandmobiletreatmentorsomesortofregionaltreatment.HealthMinisterTomBeaulieustrongerintegratedservicemanagementprogram.Wearefailingtheyouthwhoneedspecicprogramsdesignedforthem.Wearefailingpeo-plewhoneedspecializedad-dictiontreatmentsforcrackcocaineaddictionsolventabuseandprescriptiondrugabuse.Weneedmentalhealthandaddictionsprogramsforpeoplewhodonttintotheonthelandandmobiletreat-mentmodels.Accordingtothedepart-mentthedecisiontocutfund-ingisinthebestinterestofNorthernersastheymoveto-wardsmorecommunityandontheland-basedprogram-mingasoutlinedintheMentalHealthandAddictionsActionPlanandrecommendationsfromtheApril2013Minis-tersForumonAddictionsandCommunityWellness.Thiscallsforaredesignofhowwedeliveraddictiontreat-mentprogramsrightacrosstheterritorieswhetheritbeonthelandmobiletreatmentorsomesortofregionaltreat-mentHealthMinisterTomBeaulieutoldTheJournal.statewerepotentiallyatrisk...iftherewerenotenoughquali-edpeopleanditputsthestaffthemselvesatriskaswellBeaulieusaid.Theycanchosetocontinuetooperateandlookforfund-ingelsewhere.Itsnotourpo-sitiontoshutthemdown.Itsourpositiontowithdrawfund-ingwhichcoversthemajorityofoperationshesaid.AccordingtoBeaulieuthedepartmenthopestorolloutthenewprogramofaddictionsservicesbyApril2014.Meanwhilewerehopingtofundsomecommunity-basedprojectswhichwewillevalu-ateattheircompletion.Thesewillbebasedonideasthathavecomefromthecommunitiesintheareaofaddictionstreat-mentBeaulieusaidnotingthemajorityoftheseideashaveyettobeputdownonpaper.Partofthenewprogram-mingwillalsoentailsolidi-fyingafter-careprogramswithinthecommunitiesBeaulieusaid.TheresalsoalwaysbeenanissueofthelackthereofdetoxanddetoxprogramssothatFortSmithYellowknifeTravelmusttakeplacebetweenJuly12013andAugust312013.TotakeadvantageoftheseofferscallNorthwesternAirreservationstollfree1-877-872-2216ravemusaepacee00OnewayfromFortSmithtoYellowknifeSpecialStandbyFareforFortChipewyan9900allincludedone-wayuntilSeptember302013.andlookforwardtoseeingyounextyearwww.nwal.caTel867872-3030Fax867872-2214Emailchartersnwal.caForCharterReservationsCalltollfree1-877-872-2216SUPERSUMMERSUPERSUMMERPhotoDianaSmithTheterritorialgovernmenthasdecidedtocutfundingtotheNatsejeeKehTreatmentCentreontheKatlodeecheFirstNationreservelocatedjustoutsideofHayRiverwhenthecentrescontractexpiresSept.30.