by Raymond Pidzamecky
To have any success treating addictions in the NWT, we first must ask ourselves this question: Is what we are doing really making a difference?
We have a problem answering this question right away, because although the government seeks “best practice,” it in fact does not keep post discharge statistics on NWT clients. How can we truly measure the effectiveness of out-of-territory treatment without follow-up statistics? The answer is we cannot. At best we can only guess.
The second problem is how to define treatment. For example: what is the probability that a 42-day treatment program is going to treat, cure, or eradicate an addiction? Very slim. Although we have only anecdotal information, common sense says treatment programs at their best, do not work as a sole cure. Alone they mostly offer a moment of being clean and sober. Although some people quit, very few avoid relapse and the accompanying sense of failure.
So then why do we send people to treatment? Treatment is for many a stepping stone towards seeking support and healing. Recovery from addiction, including therapy, is often a life-long battle. AA knows that. This is where the territory falls short.
The department of Health and Social Services, although petitioned to do so, has never had a comprehensive relapse prevention program. The tragic reality is many people return home to the NWT and relapse. The odds of succeeding in sobriety and returning to the community and families (that haven’t changed in your absence) are slim to none. The government isn’t going to heal anyone and I don’t believe one should expect them to. They provide the initial detox/treatment, give someone a fighting chance and then the real work needs to begin in the home community. We really need local indigenous governments to provide that follow-up or be willing to do this. This is a monumental issue in the NWT.
I have come to understand and believe we will continue to struggle to have relapse programs that work, especially for Indigenous people in the NWT unless we first have a paradigm shift.
There needs to be withdrawal management support (via GNWT Health and Social Services) in each NWT community. There also could be treatment programs (both residential and drop in) and comprehensive follow-up supports in each of Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik and some other smaller communities (via local First Nations). Each of the remaining smaller communities could offer seasonal on-the-land healing events (also via local First Nations). NWT residents should be able to partake in any service they wish in any community in the territory.
As non-Indigenous people, we have failed to deliver on our promise to heal people with addictions. It’s a fact. Yet when Indigenous people in the NWT ask for a chance to develop a culturally appropriate healing program for addictions, the government struggles to support this. I understand it is difficult to let go of control. It is difficult to admit that for the most part, all our best efforts, our best policies, and our best people have failed to find a solution. It is also difficult to accept that although colonialism started in another age, it still affects government thinking and actions today.
I write these comments to provoke thought and discussion on how we can proceed more quickly to support and implement Indigenous traditional healing practices that will work hand in hand with non-Indigenous practice. It really does take courage to say we failed. On that note, we have nothing to lose, but everything to gain if we give the means and resources for treating addictions back to Indigenous peoples. We have our chance. Now is the time.