A Yukon First Nations-led healing centre in the works for the Yukon is anticipated to bring the total number of dedicated detox beds in the territory from 14 to more than 20.
In the meantime, the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) has been getting funding from the federal government to send more than 400 people over the last three-and-a-half years to private treatment in Alberta and British Columbia, according to executive director Shadelle Chambers.
As part of a culmination of decades of work, Yukon First Nations have identified the need for a residential treatment program in the territory, per Chambers. CYFN has conducted a needs assessment and completed a business case on the matter.
While in Ottawa for Yukon Days, CYFN, the Yukon and Canada governments recently signed a letter of intent that sets out the parties’ next steps in bringing the healing centre to life.
“We know that Yukon First Nations are struggling with the current opioid crisis. We see that from the coroner’s reports and the coroner’s announcements, and also, when we are working in Yukon First Nations communities and with our families and with our clients,” Chambers said.
“It’s very well known and understood that there is a gap for residential treatment programs that are culturally appropriate and culturally safe.”
The healing centre will house eight detox beds and 20 residential beds for primarily Indigenous adults, which is the target clientele, per Chambers.
Chambers said the building is expected to be around 45,000 square feet on eight acres of land.
It will likely be situated in southern Yukon, within Whitehorse city limits or close to the perimeter, so it can be relatively close to the Whitehorse General Hospital, she said. The detox aspect of the centre requires it to have access to a hospital in case of an emergency.
“We’ve heard loud and clear that there was a requirement for us to be not in the downtown core,” Chambers said. “We know many people need to be out on the land and ensure that there is access to cultural programming and access to land-based activities.”
Chambers indicated that most staff will be Yukon First Nations and Indigenous people.
“We really look forward to including and ensuring that there is a cultural worldview and a clinical worldview through both modalities in terms of the programming and the therapeutic residential programs,” Chambers said.
The anticipated cost is $50 million, according to Chambers. Exactly who will pay for it has yet to be determined.
“We’re obviously hoping that the federal government, Yukon government and Yukon First Nations will identify funding opportunities — be able to leverage funding sources to ensure that the needs of Yukon First Nations and Indigenous people get met,” Chambers said.
Chambers is hoping that the healing centre will be ready to take on clients within three to five years.
Until then, Chambers noted that the Yukon government’s detox programs are sometimes full.
“I think it’s well known within the community that detox at times does not have enough beds and at times has to turn people away,” she said.
Additionally, Chambers said that people often have complaints about a lack of “cultural safety” at the government-run facility.
The territorial Health and Social Services department oversees the Sarah Steele Building at 6th Avenue and Steele Street in downtown Whitehorse. It offers mental health and substance-use services, including 14 detox beds for adults seeking to withdraw from drugs and alcohol.
Two department representatives provided a joint interview by phone with the News on Dec.12.
Cameron Grandy, who is the director of mental wellness and substance use services, noted the territory’s three hospitals can also support people seeking withdrawal management services.
Grandy didn’t have data available by the News’ print deadline on how many times potential clients have been turned away due to beds being full at the government-run facility.
“We are full a lot,” said Amy Cooper, who is the manager of integrated and intensive services.
The facility works on a first-come, first-served basis. While there’s no waitlist for beds, the government representatives said people can wait sometimes one to three days for a bed to become available. Other times, beds are available or can be made available for people from communities. They try to work out a game plan.
“It’s really fluid,” Cooper said.
“It’s hard to kind of pinpoint an exact number because it every day changes based on where beds are at.”
The government representatives said they don’t frequently hear complaints about “cultural safety,” but they have certainly heard it before.
“It is absolutely on our radar, and it’s our goal to have the most culturally accessible program that we can because we know that, unfortunately, Indigenous peoples in the territory are overrepresented in the serious issues with substance use,” Grandy said.
“We value the feedback, and we want to take the feedback, and ultimately, our withdrawal management service is designed for the people who use it.”
Grandy said the facility has strived for a model that’s “trauma-informed and culturally accessible.”
Their team has put into place an elder’s program, hired a clinical cultural coordinator, created a traditional foods program and set up contracts with Indigenous presenters for crafts, workshops and spiritual and cultural activities.
When asked if there’s a shortage of detox beds in the Yukon, Grandy said there has been a shortage of medical staff to support the beds.
When pressed if more beds are ideal, Grandy said more options are better.
“I think having more opportunities for people to access that service is great,” he said.
Briefing notes prepared for the health minister this fall sitting of the legislative assembly contain some data on withdrawal management.
In 2022, withdrawal management “supported” 953 requests for beds, including six bed requests for youth. In total, 1,650 bed requests were delayed admissions that year.
As of November 2023, there have been 864 bed request admissions. The average number of admissions went up from 76 per month in 2022 to 91 per month in 2023.
The Yukon government declared a substance use emergency in January 2022. Its website notes that opioid-related deaths are a “leading public health and safety concern” in the territory.
The latest report, dated Nov. 9, issued by the Yukon Coroner’s Service notes that between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, there were 18 substance use-related deaths in the territory. Sixteen involved opioids. Seventeen had fentanyl in their system.
Grandy welcomed people seeking help with drug and alcohol issues to reach out.
“If you call 1-866-456-3838, [then] we can help guide you to which of our services might help,” he said, noting that’s just one option for Yukoners.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com