The K’atlo’deeche First Nation in Hay River is looking to turn its out-of-use treatment centre into a healing centre.
The Nats’ejee K’eh Treatment Centre, which is located on the K’atlo’deeche reserve, offered residential addictions treatment programs for more than two decades before funding was cut in 2013.
Chief Roy Fabian says a public workshop Friday will decide what kind of programming will be offered if it reopens as a healing centre.
“We don’t want a treatment centre anymore so let’s take a look at turning it into a healing centre,” Fabian told Moose FM.
“When the treatment centre was opened back in 1992, alcohol and drugs were prevalent issues. Since then we’ve learned a lot through the healing process.
“The whole discussion is around how Dene people heal themselves.”
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Fabian says as many as 30 people took part in discussions Friday.
One recurring theme, he says, is the necessity to create more programs for single mothers.
“This is becoming a real big issue in some of our communities. Why is this happening? Maybe we need to have a talk about relationship skills.
“When we lost a lot of these roles and responsibilities to government programming, that’s when real problems started to arise.”
Fabian says recommendations coming out of the workshops will then be turned over to the Department of Health for consideration.
He’s hopeful mobile programs can be developed and staff can be trained in time for a summer opening.
“There’s going to be a lot of mobile programs,” Fabian added. “We don’t envision the centre being a place where people can come to to heal.
“If our people do want to come, we can provide that but we will also be able to send people out into the field and help others deal with issues that way.”
Fabian says the future facility will be known as the KFN Healing Centre.
