Maria Canton
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 12/99) - One of only two adult treatment centres in the NWT had the plug pulled on their funding last week.

Northern Addiction Services (NAS), operating out of Dettah, had its GNWT contract terminated on June 30, ending their detox and rehabilitation programs.

"We agreed with NAS that there would be a winding down of services," said Cathy Praamsma, assistant deputy minister for the Department of Health and Social Services.

NAS treated clients with addiction problems from around the North, including the Baffin and Kitikmeot regions. They stopped accepting new clients at the 28-bed facility in early April as part of the closing procedures.

The closure was determined after a joint review by the Department of Health and Social Services and non-government agencies found the Dettah facility was under-utilized and reprogramming was needed.

Meanwhile, the only other adult treatment centre in the NWT, the Nats' ejee K'eh Treatment Centre, on the Hay River Reserve, hasn't experienced a flood of clients since the closing of NAS.

"We thought we would be running with full beds after NAS closed," said Vern Jones, director of the Nats' ejee K'eh centre.

"But it is the summer and a lot of people are on the land or working."

Jones notes, however, that the number of clients generally rises in the winter and Nats' ejee K'eh will be prepared for an influx of clients.

Further NAS developments involve an addictions program with Corrections Services Canada, a federal government agency. The new program will see the treatment of federal inmates with addiction problems.

"The inmates will come to us through a variety of ways," says NAS president Earl Johnson.

"Most will be from federal penitentiaries in the south and some will be from YCC."

The GNWT's review of NAS determined both a women's addiction and youth addiction centre are needed in the North.

"The North is lacking a youth treatment centre," said Jones.

"A lot of our youth are in southern centres for long periods of time and they get cut off from their families and cultures."

A GNWT committee is looking into the needs of Northern youth with addiction problems.