So, the Department of Health and Social Services has a $1-million fund to help communities hire counsellors, and they can’t seem to give the money away. Eschia, take it easy, eh.
Say what? Yup, the grant is called the Addictions Recovery and Aftercare Fund and apparently only about $350,000 of the money to work in addictions has been allocated. That means there is almost two thirds of the fund left.
And there’s only a little over four months left to spend it. What gives?
Let’s take a look at what the program is for. It’s meant to help communities hire counsellors who will support people with addictions or support programs dealing with addiction recovery or aftercare.
Well, that’s good. Communities can sure use counsellors to help fight addictions. Right? Right!
Who can apply? Between April 1 and Sept. 1, 2022, only Indigenous governments that have negotiated, or are now negotiating, self-government agreements can apply.
Between Sept. 2 and March 31, 2023 the door is open for community governing authorities and non-government organizations to also apply.
Hmm. What do you think of that? Well, I thought this might be a big reason why groups are not applying for the funds, but a quick check on the Executive and Indigenous Affairs website told me that every region is now negotiating self-government.
So, what gives? Simply by filling out an application form, communities can apply for up to $95,000 a year to hire a counsellor to work in the addictions field. And we all know the NWT has some of the highest rates of addiction in Canada. Not cool.
So, why aren’t people applying? Last year this time, Health and Social Services had received 13 proposals, and all of the funds were eventually given out.
One of the things I can see is that the money has to be spent by the end of March. So, if a community received funds last year and could not spend it all by March 31, they might not know what to do.
Why not allow this money to be carried over and spent in the following year?
From looking at the criteria, it appears as though the only thing people can do with the funds is hire a counsellor. There are only so many counsellors out there, and a community might not be able to hire a counsellor right away.
Paperwork is important
And of course, the community has to sign a contribution agreement that says what they can use the money for. Sometimes funds get used for something other than what it says in the agreement.
In fact, I have seen people who are not familiar with how government operates, spend the money on something not covered in the agreement and say, “Well we’re still using it for addictions.” Do not do this.
Once that happens, they are not allowed to apply for funds again until they return the money that was spent on the wrong things. So, it’s important to look at your agreement and only spend money on what you are supposed to spend it on.
Similarly, people who get grants have to put in interim and final reports. If they received funds last year, it takes time to do reports. And communities only have so many people good at writing proposals and reports.
Usually, you receive half of the funds at the start of the project. Then you have to submit a financial statement and a written report halfway through your grant so you can get the second half of your funding.
And guess what? No report, no funds for the rest of the year! Oh no!
Meanwhile, they may already have a counsellor on staff, and now there’s no money coming in to pay them! This means they might use funds from somewhere else to pay the counsellor and replace it when the addictions money comes in. Sound familiar?
Then at the end of the program, which is March 31, a final report and financial statement must be sent in, or no funds for the next year — or any other year — until the report goes in.
The fund is meant to help improve aftercare for people who have stopped drinking or using drugs. But communities have to apply for the money, or it won’t help anybody.
In fact, the government may stop the program if the money is not used. So, get those applications in, or at least tell the government if you are going to apply next year.