Thank you, Mr. Chair. Providing aftercare and appropriate follow-up is an important step in the recovery process. There are, as I have already described, a number of options for aftercare support for individuals returning from addictions treatment. I won't list them again, for the sake of time. While there are some options in place, we need to ensure that our current range of aftercare and support options are keeping pace with the needs of people and the best and emerging practices.
The department is currently examining best practice research, jurisdictional and international scans, and local feedback to identify potential actions to support and enhance aftercare services in the Northwest Territories, and we certainly got a lot of good ideas from the committee as we were travelling. This work will inform the development of the addictions recovery action plan and will identify ways in which we can enhance existing services and introduce new programs and new initiatives.
The department has been engaging with southern facility-based addictions treatment centres to gather more information on aftercare programming available through their facilities as well as opportunities for collaboration in program development and staff training. The department will be updating the Community Counselling Program standards and procedures manual to include aftercare standards and guidelines. These standards and guidelines will reflect a recovery-oriented and best-practices approach to care. Training for managerial and front-line staff will be provided as part of the implementation plan in these standards and guidelines. Our non-government partners will also be included in these training opportunities.
We feel that this builds upon the recommendation that was made, but, as it is a recommendation to government, Cabinet will be abstaining. Thank you, Mr. Chair.