Akaitcho chiefs calling for government support as communities grapple with suicide, addiction

Two Akaitcho chief's said the territorial government should establish a regional treatment centre as a way to help their communities deal with growing mental health issues including suicide, addiction and homelessness. 

"If the minister can put a treatment centre in the Akaitcho territory, that would be wonderful news," said Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation Chief James Marlowe. 

This sentiment was echoed by Dettah Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Edward Sangris. He said after the contract ended for the one treatment facility in the N.W.T. a decade ago, his members were "left out in the cold again by the government." 

Sangris and Marlowe issued a news release along with the other Akaitcho Territory Government chiefs calling for more support from the territorial government to address the mental health issues their communities are experiencing.

The Akaitcho territory is the southwestern area of the N.W.T. that includes Dettah, Ndilǫ, Deninu Kųę́ First Nation and Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation.

Sangris said mental health issues are getting worse in Dettah, particularly with youth. 

"We're just losing people left and right to mental health issues such as suicides and you know here we are we're trying to alleviate the problem but we're not getting resources or the help we need," he said. 

At least 29 people in the N.W.T. died by suicide in the past 22 months. The majority of them were young men. 

In 2021 six people died by suicide in the North Slave region, which includes three Akaitcho communities. This was the most of any region. 

Marlowe said the communities need numerous programs like counselling and addiction services and that a treatment centre in the region could offer those. 

There are currently no permanent addiction treatment centres in the N.W.T., meaning residents are forced to travel south for help.

But there was at one time a treatment centre outside of Dettah that was run by the territorial government. 

The 28-bed treatment centre operated for only eight years after it was built, shutting down in 1999. The territorial government said it was underused, however, Sangris said he's heard from members who say it helped them recover. 

"In their eyes it's not working," he said of the N.W.T. government, "but for our people that got through the program, we see them living a healthy lifestyle now."