Healing inside from the outside
On-the-land programming to expand this year
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, April 14, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
On-the-land addictions treatment programming could be available this year to Northwest Territories communities wanting to start projects, says staff with the territory's health department.
Alana Kronstal, manager of strategic initiatives with the Department of Health and Social Services, said funding has been earmarked to establish on-the-land addictions and wellness programming throughout the territory this year. While it's not yet known how many communities would be approved for projects, decisions would be made after discussions with local governments and their health authorities, Kronstal said.
"We've had some interest from communities who would like to see this and what we're suggesting is a three-way dialogue between the community who wants to see a project like this take place, the aboriginal government that oversees that community and the regional health authority that is in place as well," Kronstal said.
Pilot projects outside of Behchoko, Inuvik and Dettah took place earlier this spring, which started the groundwork toward making programs available in other communities.
"One of our goals with these pilot projects was to evaluate the lessons learned and the formats that they each chose to take with the on the land programs to determine what some of the practices might be that can inform more of these types of programs," Kronstal said.
The programs don't have to be specifically geared toward addiction, she added. Healing programs would also be considered.
"The main thing for us is there is a healing component that has to do with either a mental health or addiction, to differentiate it from the many programs that are already out there that promote culture and wellness in a more broad sense," she said.
Behchoko's program focused on getting people ready to attend residential addictions treatment programs outside the territory, as well as to help people returning home after treatment, said Pat Young, a counsellor with the Tlicho Community Services Agency.
Young, a member of the Anishinabe First Nation from Saskatchewan and a residential school survivor, has worked in the North since 1992.
He said the program included people from Whati. Also, elders educated participants about the history of the Tlicho people and the area in which they live.
They learned about the traditional roles of men in the community.
He said part of the program aimed to restore self-confidence, including cultural pride.
"When they go to treatment somewhere else, they don't hear about that," Young said.
Participants who were returning from treatment were also able to share their experiences with those who were planning to attend treatment in the south, Young said.
"We had a couple people that came back and they were very positive in the on-the-land program," he said. "They were able to share the important things they learned and how they can apply it and some of the challenges that they face as they come back into the community."
Returning home can be difficult for those fresh from a treatment facility, Young said. People sometimes have to return to households where others are still drinking or doing drugs.
"It's really difficult, especially when you've been in a safe environment for 42 days where there are good rules and good expectations. There is safety," he said. "When you're coming back, you're coming back to an environment where it's difficult to set boundaries with friends and relatives."
Young said staff are now working on another program to take place later in the spring, which would include camping at various sites on Lac La Martre.
He said the program aims to include a photography component where participants are provided with cameras to document their healing journeys.
Kronstal said department staff are now working on some guidelines to help places looking to start programs of their own.
Communities will be required to provide the department with simple outlines of their plans, but Kronstal said as long as basic requirements were met, communities would be free to determine what works best for them. Basic requirements could include criminal records checks for people working with youth or ensuring proper storage of guns.
"Our focus will be moving forward partnerships with aboriginal governments for these types of projects," she said.
Kronstal said that means making sure funding is in place to support programs throughout the NWT.
"It won't be first come first serve, because we do plan to ensure there is funding accessible to all aboriginal governments if they want to pursue this," she said.
