The provincial government announced over $4 million in funding last month for Indigenous-led addictions programming across the province, and First Nations in the Interlake will be receiving some of the funding to support detox and recovery programs.
The provincial funding support will go towards Indigenous-led addictions programming that will create over 1,200 new treatment spaces, said Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith.
“Our government is committed to working alongside Indigenous organizations and experts to provide culturally appropriate addictions treatment,” said Smith in a Sept. 29 news release. “We’re creating more pathways to healing and recovery for those seeking addiction care.”
The Interlake Reserves Tribal Council, which represents seven First Nations communities, will be receiving $1.5 million for withdrawal-management services across five of its First Nations communities. That will include traditional Indigenous programming.
The Express reached out to the provincial department of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness for more information on funding for the IRTC, including what five IRTC communities have been selected and what the traditional Indigenous programming entails.
“Through the funding agreement with the department, IRTC will serve the following five communities: Dauphin River First Nation, Lake Manitoba First Nation, Lake St. Martin First Nation, Little Saskatchewan First Nation and Pinaymootang First Nation,” said a departmental spokesperson. “This program is expected to support approximately 300 to 375 individuals per year.”
The treatment programs include an accessible two-tiered mobile withdrawal management service model that offers detox treatment to individuals wanting to stop using a substance, whether drugs or alcohol.
“This program uses a mobile van to deliver services directly to communities. Individuals accessing services through the IRTC will receive supports in a community setting such as their own home or family and friends’ homes,” said the spokesperson.
The treatment team is a collaboration between primary care, community care, the IRTC and the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority that will see registered nurses, a nurse practitioner and counsellors providing daily care.
“The team works to support individuals and their families or support persons, with access to a crisis line providing after hours support,” said the spokesperson. “In addition, all individuals using the services will have access to Elder and Indigenous-led services. This program operates with a holistic approach to support individuals to withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs without having to attend a residential withdrawal-management centre.”
When asked what the traditional Indigenous aspects of the recovery program are, the spokesperson said they’ll focus on “all aspects of healing, from the physical to the spiritual” when the IRTC program is up and running. This could entail the use of sweat-lodge ceremonies, land-based activities, traditional medicine, talking circles and a fasting ceremony.
“Once the programs are implemented within each community, more information may be available about specific Indigenous programming,” said the spokesperson.
The government had committed over $2.4 million for 800 day and evening treatment spaces, states the news release. The spaces are now open at the following Indigenous-led organizations:
• Life’s Journey (Winnipeg) for a drop-in resource centre offering wraparound support for neurodiverse individuals ($657,000).
• Misipawistik Cree Nation Health Authority for a seven-week outpatient program combining traditional medicine, life skills training and addiction education ($450,000).
• Mikaaming Mino Pimatiziwin Healing Lodge for day programming in Sagkeeng First Nation and surrounding areas ($365,399).
• Oshki-Giizhig Inc. (Winnipeg) for expansion of the Beaver Lodge Day Services Program for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other cognitive impairments ($291,000).
• Ndinawemaaganag Endaawaad Inc. (Winnipeg) for daily support meetings for Indigenous youth rooted in cultural values, based on the WellBriety Movement model ($718,000).
Earlier this year, the government had provided $1.5 million in funding for program tools, materials and resources required for the development of the Anne Oake Recovery Centre, a bed-based addictions treatment facility designed for women and their children, states the release.
