SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A homeless woman in downtown Yellowknife appears to have fallen through cracks in the the social safety net and says she does not know where to turn for help.

Sophie Thrasher, a fixture in downtown Yellowknife for years, says she often sleeps in stairwells and occasionally RCMP cells. Thrasher tries to survive on a $90 GST rebate cheque that she receives every three months. - John McFadden/NNSL photo

Sophie Thrasher, 52, a residential schools survivor, says she sometimes sleeps in stairwells. She said she has also resorted to acting as though she is intoxicated to be picked up by the RCMP and lodged in their cells so she has a warm place to stay. Thrasher said that she sometimes stays at the Centre for Northern Families, the city's emergency shelter for women, but added that on occasions in the past she has been asked to leave the facility.

"Sometimes they won't let me in," Thrasher said. "Other times, the girls (residents) are noisy and arguing. I say, 'Keep quiet,' and they blame me. Once I was kicked out for no reason and had to sleep in a stairwell. Another time, the RCMP left me at the shelter but the (shelter) worker said, 'Sorry Sophie you have to leave.'"

Thrasher says she is frustrated and depressed by her lack of a stable place to live and that contributes to her abusing alcohol.

Thrasher said that the only money she receives is a $90 GST rebate cheque which she gets every three months. She has not filled out a social assistance application form because she "does not understand the big words in it" and she says nobody will help her. She says she was scheduled to go south to a residential treatment centre for alcohol abuse, but because she missed an appointment with a counsellor at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, her planned placement was cancelled.

Nancy Peel, acting executive director at the Tree of Peace said she thinks Thrasher has misinterpreted the message given to her by the counsellor.

"She should probably book another appointment," Peel said, adding she doesn't think that for a single incident of that nature Thrasher would lose her opportunity to receive alcohol treatment. Peel said the friendship centre's mandate is to help people struggling with substance abuse.

"We're pretty fair when it comes to individuals coming here but we do have some rules. It may not be the first time she has missed an appointment. I don't know," Peel said.

'We always try to find somebody a spot'

Bree Denning, a long-time volunteer and spokesperson for the Centre For Northern Families, said she could not speak specifically to Thrasher's case, but said the organization does everything they can to make space available to those who need it.

"There are instances where women can be asked to leave the shelter if they are threatening towards staff or violent but we don't ban anybody. If someone is asked to leave then the next day they're asked to come and have a talk with the shelter manager about what happened and how to prevent it in the future," Denning said. "There have been extreme circumstances where someone is known to be very violent, particularly if they are on medications that aren't being followed through with. We have requested extra funding to have extra security staff on. But if that funding isn't available then we might make exceptions . but we always try to find somebody a spot."

Julie Green, MLA for Yellowknife Centre made homelessness the main thrust of her priorities speech in the legislative assembly in December.

"Sophie's case is typical of the problems with homeless people suffering from mental health and addiction issues," she told Yellowknifer by e-mail.

Reached the next day by phone, Green elaborated.

Justice department program could help

The justice department's Integrated Case Management Project could help Thrasher, she said, adding Yellowknife needs a facility other than emergency shelters, elaborating the next day by phone.

"For this particular group of homeless addicts there needs to be housing provided. It needs to be supportive housing where there is staff available to work with the people to obtain the services they need - medical appointments, medication, income support, whatever it is that they need. Currently there is no place of that kind," Green said.

"What I've been advocating for is the 'housing first' model, which would provide supportive housing to this group of people who are chronically homeless. It would be an investment in their well-being."

Dawn M. Anderson, director of integrated case management for the territorial government, stated in an e-mail she couldn't speak to Thrasher's case specifically but did confirm that $625,000 in taxpayer money has been spent on the Integrated Case Management Project since its inception in 2014. It is being run in conjunction with the territory's Department of Health and Social Services, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as well as the NWT Housing Corporation, Anderson stated.

"Staff from any of these entities can refer a person to the program. The program's goal is to establish a more co-ordinated, streamlined service-delivery approach for clients of the departments involved who have two or more complex needs," Anderson stated.

It has received 20 referrals to date.