Madam Speaker, speech therapy services for school-aged children are funded by the Department of Health and Social Services. This is outlined in the publicly distributed Health and Social Services brochure, Your Health Care Benefits, published in 1989.

- Out-of-territory speech therapy is funded as an insured service when there is a medical referral to the nearest approved hospital.

- There are no western Arctic children currently receiving speech therapy services outside of the Northwest Territories. However, this can change as needs arise.

- Any school-aged children who are referred and meet the criteria of the guidelines have their assessments funded.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.