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Help is out there

But first move is yours

Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 13/00) - Regardless of where in the Northwest Territories you live, you don't have far to go to get help for drug or alcohol addiction but the first step of the journey begins within.

That's the message from the Department of Health and Social Services' director of community programs and services.

"There has to be a real desire on the part of the individual for change to occur," said Angus MacKay.

There are 23 community-based alcohol and drug projects in the NWT. In the few communities without local addictions counsellors, the health centre offers referral service.

MacKay said what community drug and alcohol counsellors lack in experience they make up in dedication. In a profession with a high turnover rate, he said there are counsellors in communities who have been providing services for 10 years or more.

"Some have very little training at all," MacKay said. "We're gradually working toward correcting that by offering two week modules that go toward a one year certificate in addictions counselling."

In the small communities, confidentiality has also been an issue. Counsellors are expected to keep in strict confidence all they are told by their clients.

Though the government is ultimately responsible for addictions services, counselling services in communities are overseen by local health boards. Standards for counselling are spelled out in the government's addictions handbook and must be applied by all boards.

Beating addictions often involves peeling back layers of psychological defences hiding the real problem. Addressing underlying causes such as abuse and neglect often calls for more expertise than is available in the communities.

In that case, clients can be referred to either the 30-bed Natsej'ee K'eh treatment centre in Hay River or treatment centres in the south.

The Hay River centre is the only place in the NWT where clients stay while receiving counselling.

"That's about four times the number of beds (per capita) as any other jurisdiction in Canada," said MacKay.

In the capital, the Salvation Army also houses a six-bed 'withdrawal management' centre.