In the Legislative Assembly on March 29th, 2023. See this topic in context.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services develop aftercare processes for persons discharged from hospitals and health centres following suicidal ideation and attempts to reduce suicide re-attempts and loss of life. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Great Slave.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th, 2023

Page 6040

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I mentioned when we were talking about the coroner's report, I have heard numerous times of people presenting at emergency rooms across the territory and either not even making it in to see anyone given that it's not considered to be high in the priority list when you look at triages in an emergency room situation, the emergency -- the people working there are going to prioritize physical threats to life that are immediate, such as, you know, injuries and wounds, over mental health concerns. And I'm not saying that's right, but that is what is happening.

I have heard again -- I mentioned about a person being flown into Yellowknife and then being sent home again and then just discharged from the hospital without ever having any -- seen any psychiatrists or any social workers, provided with nothing as far as supports. It was on them to follow up when they did get back to their community in order to then get the followup appointments with the community counsellors.

To me, again, it is cruel that when people are showing up in a desperate state of health to our facilities that our facilities are turning them away. The ER is not equipped to deal with mental health issues that present. The psych ward is full. We don't even have a youth psychiatric facility. I have constituents that have reported to me that their children as young as 12 have started to identify with them on suicidal ideation, and these aren't even what we would normally think of as the vulnerable youth that potentially get stereotyped as being the ones that are at risk. These are people -- it's a cross all, all socio-economic lines. And so as such, to me, it actually almost seems like a legal liability that we are sending people away who are at risk and not giving them any sort of follow up. It's just actually quite mindboggling and it's actually very inhumane. And, Madam Chair, I cannot stress this motion enough and I hope it will be supported, and I hope the government will actually implement it. Thank you.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. To the motion. Member for Kam Lake.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this is something that we heard directly from youth. It's is also something that I've spoken about numerous times in this House.

On multiple occasions every year since being elected as the MLA of Kam Lake, I have received phone calls from families, particularly parents, who recount their experiences to me. And the consistent piece of information that I am told is that when their youth have gone to the hospital there has been no effort to create a safety plan. There has been no follow up. And there has been no feeling of support as they leave our hospital here in Yellowknife. And I can only speak to here in Yellowknife.

This is a huge concern. And I look at this from the side that when somebody is sitting in front of us and we have the option of a second chance, we have to take that second chance.

I have also had the privilege to sit next to somebody at Stanton who was given a second chance. And when the doctor came into the room to talk to them about what had happened to them, the questions that were asked of that person were do you get enough sleep, do you drink alcohol, and do you do drugs. And what a youth hears is what are you doing wrong. In that instance, there was no attempt to support that youth before they turned and left the hospital. There was no attempt to give that child hope. And sometimes all a child needs is hope.

So this is a very, very important recommendation, and I hope that the government is listening, and I hope to see -- we need to see an appropriate response from the government to this recommendation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. To the motion.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Committee Motion 410-19(2): Committee Report 50-19(2): Strengthening Community Supports, Lifting Youth Voices: Recommendations on Suicide Prevention - Aftercare Processes for Persons Discharged from Hospitals and Health Care Centres, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 29th

Page 6040

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Kam Lake.