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Chris Puglia
Northern News Services
Larocque is the executive director of the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre in Hay River, a facility that received dismal marks in a recent review of addiction services in the NWT.
 Failing grade - There are 27 community-based addictions programs in the North. - The report evaluated 15 sites evaluated. - 10 of 15 sites rated inadequate. - 37 per cent of community addictions workers have no education in the area of addictions. - 100 per cent of addiction workers report funding is inadequate. - Three per cent of annual Health and Social Services budget spent on addiction (approx. $5.31 million). - 80 per cent of health care staff have very poor working knowledge of addiction treatment. - 90 per cent of community addictions programs staff are dissatisfied with services at Nats'ejee K'eh treatment centre. Pick your poison - 28.8 per cent of NWT population drink heavily; 8.8 per cent nationally. - Marijuana and hash, 19.8 per cent, NWT; 7.4 per cent nationally - Hard drugs (cocaine, heroine, speed etc) 3.3 per cent NWT; 1.5 per cent nationally. - Solvents, 11.1 per cent NWT; 0.8 per cent nationally. - Cigarettes, 50.9 per cent NWT; 27 per cent nationally. ( based on 1996 survey by NWT Bureau of Statistics ) |
The 184-page report titled A State of Emergency ... Evaluation of Addiction Services in the NWT lists a host of failing grades when it comes to providing effective and credible addiction services to Northerners.
"The services are in urgent need of immediate attention ... it is time to take action and rebuild. The storm has already passed," states the report.
The evaluation, completed by Chalmers and Associates, based out of Saskatoon, attacks virtually every aspect of Northern addictions services from administration right down to delivery.
"Rebuild the whole community addiction program system, because to add resources to the current system would be counter-productive. The structure of the entire delivery of addictions services must first be re-designed and re-built in partnership with communities across the NWT," the report read.
Larocque is the first to admit that the findings are not surprising.
"This is what we have been saying for years, we need help and then, they have someone come in and hammer us down," said Larocque.
"If someone is hollering for help from the back burner you should listen up and do something."
The Hay River treatment centre is the only detoxification facility in the NWT. It received a 90 per cent dissatisfaction grade in the evaluation.
Funded to provide care for 30 patients, the centre is currently treating 25 patients.
The centre employs 19 people, including 10 addiction workers and two clinical workers.
Noting the problems aren't limited to the treatment centre in Hay River but are evident in all addiction programming throughout the NWT, the report pinpoints the lack of funding as the main reason for the crisis.
The study found nearly 40 per cent of addictions workers have no formal training in the area of addictions.
"If you've been sober for three months (you're qualified) to be the addictions worker. That's what we've been forced to manage with," said Larocque.
At Nats'ejee K'eh credentials for addiction workers range between a certificate or diploma from the Aurora College Community Addictions program as well as a certificate from the Nechi Institute in Alberta. Nechi offers specialized training for First Nation clients.
According to the report the centre does not meet the needs for addiction treatment for non-status clients.
The report also went on to discuss the fact that youth and special needs clients have no access to treatment in the NWT. These cases are flown south where there are facilities to meet their needs.
Larocque said that practice is very costly but with proper funding the Hay River treatment centre could be expanded to handle those cases.
Government action?
The GNWT has reviewed the report that cost about $110,000.
Minister of Health Michael Miltenberger said his department is currently discussing an addictions strategy.
"The system is in distress. Even though we are spending money, people are drinking more than ever. We have a problem even though we are spending the money," Miltenberger said.
Miltenberger said the public can expect an announcement within the near future.
"We're going to put the (report's) recommendations to use. It gives formal documentation and justification to the concerns out there ... it won't just gather dust," said Miltenberger.
Larocque said he will be looking forward to the GNWT's response.
"The good thing about having such a devastating report come out is the government is forced to sit down and listen to the addictions workers, and they haven't been listening before."
