Thank you. And just quickly following up on that, does the Minister happen to know or is it published, the turnover rates amongst CFS staff? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

I don't have that detail in front of me, but I do believe that it was in their annual -- their public annual report on child and family services, so it is a public document. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So in the business planning documents, it appears that HSS is promising or working on a new approach to child and family services programming. Can the Minister explain what direction that's going or what exactly we can expect to see from this new approach. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So the direction that the child and family services is going in is -- it's kind of set into seven priorities:

• To serve children, youth, families, so working collaboratively with Indigenous governments and organizations;
• Care rooted in Indigenous practices;
• Support to care providers and caregivers;
• Strengthen youth supports and transition to adulthood;
• Specialized services closer to home;
• Strengthening human resource recruitment and
• Retention efforts for an inclusive and representative workforce; and,
• Reducing administrative demands for increased opportunities to connect with families.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm curious to know whether there's consideration within this new approach. I know that there's a much more emphasis on family preservation which is, of course, necessary and long overdue. But my understanding is that family preservation workers are sort of part and parcel working within the same office as case workers or those who might be involved in, say, child apprehensions, that kind of thing, and so this might create some fear or barriers in families trying to seek those supports, family preservation, knowing that it's all sort of one office.

As part of this approach, is there any consideration being given to putting a bit more separation between the family preservation work that CFS is putting an increased emphasis on and child protection work? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I really appreciate that question because I think this is something that we had discussed many times in the last government, and I think that is the change that we need to look at, is family preservation workers are not a new -- like, they're new in the system that child and family services has -- you know, as Indigenous population is prominent in child and family services, there is that distrust, and so I appreciate the Member bringing this forward. But the change that is going on through the system is that the focus is on prevention. From the family preservation worker to the child and family services worker, it is to focus on supporting that child with their family and within their communities. You know, I can -- with the work that is being done and the trust that needs to be built, that is going to take some time and I think that what the public needs to know is that the direction of child and family services, even within the new -- like, the legislation that we are working -- currently working on is to making sure that the residents that need services feel safe when they go into this department and that they know that they can be supported even when they're at their lowest and most risk. And so that is the mindset change that we need to continue, and I think it's important that our staff are working to support each other because if we start splitting up our staff -- they're their support networks right now. And so however I do appreciate, but I need to know that the public needs to know that this department is to support families. So thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I do hope to continue the conversation with the Minister and in this House about this really important topic because it does seem like a system that is perpetually, you know, struggling and in crisis, and we're talking about the -- probably the most vulnerable people in our communities which is children who are experiencing problems in their families.

So it also says in the business plan that part of the work in this area is to redesign the foster care and respite services delivery programs. Can the Minister explain what that is intended to do, what's the intention of that redesign? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With that detail, I'll pass it on to the deputy minister.

Deputy minister Cecchetto.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thanks, Madam Chair. With the remaining time I have in this segment, I also just wanted to ask about -- I think there was a commitment in -- I'm not even sure which document it comes from now. But due to the closures of NWT residential treatment centres for children and youth, there were plans to pilot land-based healing youth programs to try to fill some of those gaps and there was an intention, anyway, in December 2023 to pilot a cultural wellness camp for youth with complex needs. So -- and this sort of bleeds partly into community mental wellness and addictions recovery too I think. But can the Minister give an update on what programs are ongoing to fill the gap left by the closures of those NWT residential treatment centres for children and youth, and I guess where that shows up in this budget. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So there was a pilot that did happen, and planning is underway on how to move forward to post a contract for youth land-based therapeutic programming, including aftercare services. So NTHSSA is working to propose the reallocation of monies from what was previously Trailcross Treatment to that; however, that work is ongoing and, you know, we also -- within child and family services, they do utilize other services. Sometimes they use out of territory services to support families if they need -- if they have needs immediately, individually and family, that they're supporting, so that is what we have at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Members, we will give Members a second chance to ask more questions in this area but for right now, I have the Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Child and family services, here within the budget, you know, 2023-2024 it was like 4.46. Are we on -- I'm on page 205. Okay, so there's an increase from 46 -- from that time and then 2024-2025 and then there was a -- it revised -- the budget was revised -- the estimate was revised. And then 2025-2026 went to 52. I don't know if this is good or bad because, you know, child and family services. So is this -- okay. So I know that this takes care of the -- you know, the -- all the NWT. And so how much of this is for child and family services program that are for the children in care and the support program? I mean, that's a huge increase from 2023-2024 to current, so it means that the children in care, did it increase as well? Thank you

Thank you. Minister of health.