Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member raised the issue in her Member's statement. It is a problem. It's a problem in the community of Fort Smith and we hear it on the radio from other communities where MLAs' communities are struggling with the issue and they have had community meetings, they have tried to get parents to the table, their community leadership, Health and Social Services, the RCMP, the teachers. It's an issue that plagues us all. We have, as a department, some resources available. In most communities we have social workers, we have mental health workers, community wellness workers. There are some programs in the North -- Trail Cross Territorial Treatment Centre -- that are geared to mild or moderate behavioural problems. We have arrangements down south, four facilities as well, but those require some kind of arrangement where there's an agreement between the department, either a custodial agreement that goes to court to temporary wardship or voluntary agreement that would allow those services to be brought to bear. They are very expensive and they tend to remove the child from where the problem is, which is their community and their family. So with regard to the issue that the Member is talking about, those are fundamentally community issues where we have resources there to deal with them. If individual cases warrant that there be greater attention paid to individual children, then we have capacity to do that. Thank you.
Michael Miltenberger on Question 260-15(3): Treatment Options Available For Youth In Trouble
In the Legislative Assembly on October 20th, 2004. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 260-15(3): Treatment Options Available For Youth In Trouble
Question 260-15(3): Treatment Options Available For Youth In Trouble
Item 6: Oral Questions
October 19th, 2004
Page 862
See context to find out what was said next.