The NWT’s health authority says two medical detox beds to support people going through planned alcohol withdrawal are now available at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.
“This is a major step forward in enhancing in-territory options for mental wellness and addictions recovery,” the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) said in a news release.
The NWT’s Alcohol Withdrawal Access Program is coordinating the new alcohol withdrawal management service, which launched this May.
An outpatient territorial team coordinates the intake process, manages the waitlist, and ensures clients have all pre-assessments and treatment plans completed in advance.
The detox beds are intended for individuals with complex needs who may require medical supervision prior to entering a treatment program.
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The program only accepts planned admissions, though in emergencies people can still get help with alcohol withdrawal at their local health centre.
Medical detox helps people safely experience severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms and ensure they are stable enough for treatment, while treatment programs help teach people skills to stay sober.
In its first phase, the program will accept referrals from the Facility-Based Addictions Treatment program for clients from the Dehcho, Sahtu and Fort Smith regions.
“We have heard feedback from residents, communities, and staff that some people would like to attend facility-based treatment but travelling out of territory to attend medical detox prior to treatment is a barrier,” said the NTHSSA.
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“As lack of access to in-territory medical detox has been identified as a barrier to this treatment option, a practical first step for the program is to open to this priority population first.”
The news release said an expansion is planned to accept referrals from additional regions and on-the-land participants as program capacity grows.
“This initiative responds to long-standing community calls for more in-territory recovery supports and aligns with NTHSSA’s commitment to equitable, accessible, and culturally-safe care for all NWT residents,” the health authority said.
