We do encourage residents who are struggling with addictions to attend a number of counselling sessions. I believe it’s four, depending on the nature of the addiction. But we also recognize that sometimes four sessions is too much. Sometimes now is the time. If you are suffering from mental health or an addictions issue here in the Northwest Territories and you know now is the time, you need to speak to a counsellor or health practitioner, let them know that now is the time, I need to go now, and we can get a referral through the department in 24 hours and we can begin the process of getting you into treatment after the 24-hour period. Sometimes we’ve been able to get people in treatment as quickly as 48 hours.

So, if you have constituents who have gone and said now is the time and they haven’t had that offered to them, you need to let us know so that we can make sure that we fix the process. In the meantime, if you have constituents who tell you now is the time, encourage them to talk to their counsello

r. It’s an emergency situation. We always

book emergency situations immediately. We can get you in, we can get the referral in 24 hours and we can get you to treatment as quickly as possible. Thank you.