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GNWTplanningmobileaddictionstreatmentoption8TuesdayOctober282014HEALTHWELLNESSADDICTIONSCABConstructionisproudtohavehelpedmaketheconstructionofthenewFortSmithHealthCentreasuccess.LTD.FortSmithNT867872-2058theFortSmithHealthCentreTaylorCompanySuppliersofbiomassboilersystems6CamsellCres.HayRiverNTX0E0R7Ph867874-2447Fax867874-4670wouldliketocongratulatetheFortSmithHealthCentreonitsnewexpansion.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGHealthofcialsintheNorthwestTerritoriesarehopingtocombinetheprogrammingofthesouthwiththefacilitiesoftheNorthtobringaddictionstreatmenttoresidentsintheirhomecommunitiesviaamobileservice.HealthandSocialServicesMinisterGlenAbernethywasonceagainpressedontheab-senceofanaddictionstreatmentfacilityintheterritorylastweekandsaidthedepartmentcontinuestoworkonestablishingamodelthatwillworkfortheNWT.Buildinganotherfacilityhesaidisnotthewaytodoit.WevehadfourtreatmentfacilitiesintheNorthwestTerritories.Everyoneofthemhasfailed.Oneofthemajorreasonstheytendtofailisbecauseeconomiesofscale-wecantgetenoughpeopleintothemtheministersharedwithTheJournallastweek.Thelackofatreatmentfacilityintheterritorymeansthoseseekinghelpfortheiraddictionsoutsideoftheavailablecommunitycounsellingframeworkarecurrentlybeingsenttofourpart-nerdetoxfacilitiesinAlbertaandB.C.Whilethoseprogramsareseeinggreatre-sultsAbernethysaiditsimportantforpeopletohaveoptionswhichiswhythedepartmenthasdedicated1.2milliontowardthecreationofon-the-landprogrammingwithAboriginalgovernmentsandisnowlookingatamobiletreatmentoption.ThoughstillintheprogramdevelopmentphasetheconceptisclearusingexistingfacilitiesinthevariousregionsthroughouttheNWTstaffwithanaddictionstreatmentprogramwouldtravelfromcommunitytocommunitystoppingfor48daysorwhateverthelengthoftreatmenthappenstobetoruntheirprogramming.WhiletheprogramwouldbemostaccessibletolocalsitwouldalsobeopentoanyNWTresident.Itsabouttheprogramnotabouttheloca-tionAbernethysaid.Theprogramhastobesolidithastobemeaningfulandithastobeabletoprovidepeoplewiththeskillsandsup-portstheyneedsotheycanbesuccessfulinthelongtermandweneedthatprogramtobeabletogotothesedifferentlocationsandusethefa-cilitiesthatalreadyexist.Abernethysaidthedepartmentisstillactivelylookingforapartnerorganizationtohelpcreateandcarryoutasuccessfulprogramcapableofdeliveringqualityaddictionstreatmentinawaythatisexibleenoughtomeetthevaryingneedsandculturaldifferencesofeachcommunity.Thechallengeofcomingupwithaprogramthathitsallthosenecessarytargetsmeansdevelopingmobiletreatmentistakinglongerthanantici-patedthoughAbernethysaidresidentsshouldexpectapilottobelaunchedbeforetheendofthe17thAssemblylocationtobedetermined.Sincelinkingupwiththefoursouthernfacili-tiesAbernethysaidthedepartmenthasman-agedtoexpeditetheadmissionprocesswithsomeindividualsbeingapprovedforresidentialtreatmentwithinadayandatthefacilitywithin48hours.Thoseindividualsareinstantlycon-nectedwithpsychiatristsandpsychologistsalongwitharangeofprogramsthatarecur-rentlyunavailableintheNorth.Thoughthemobileprogramwontnecessar-ilybeabletoprovideallthosepiecesitwillbebenecialforthosewhocantordontwishtotraveltothesouthfortreatment.WemightndthatpeoplewhogotothismobileoptiondecideyouknowwhatyourerightIdoneedtogotothatsouthernfacilitybutallthoseoptionshavetobeavailableAb-ernethysaid.Everybodyhastotaketheirownpath.Weneedtomakesuretheprogramsexistsothatindividualscantakethepaththatsmostap-propriateforthemtogettotheirownindividualhealing.Idontbelieveincookiecutters.PhotoMeaganWohlbergWeneedtomakesuretheprogramsexistsothatindividualscantakethepaththatsmostappropriateforthemtogettotheirownindividualhealing.GlenAbernethyHealthandSocialServicesHealthandSocialServicesMinisterGlenAbernethysaysmobiletreatmentisoneoftheoptionshewantstogiveNWTresidentsstrugglingwithaddictions.