INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 47 - No. 23—December 3, 2020 haas^i>sa Sales Agreement No. 40047776
Pandemic brings need for mental health balance Front-line workers encourage people to stay connected as wintertime restrictions heighten the risk of isolation By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Port Alberni, BC - Those who monitor the mental health of Nuu-chah-nulth-aht are urging people to find a healthy balance amid tightening COVID-19 restrictions that can lead to wintertime isolation. The emotional and spiritual toll the pandemic has taken on people was a focus of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council’s Annual General Meeting, which was held this year on Nov. 24 via the online Zoom platform. The effects on mental health are becoming increasingly apparent, commented Medical Health Officer Charmaine Enns. The pandemic has brought a public health emergency for more than eight months, with measures of varying stringency that discourage personal contact in order to control spread of the highly contagious coronavirus. Enns pointed to the opioid crisis, B.C.’s other public health emergency that was in place before the pandemic took hold. The B.C. Coroner’s Service recently reported 162 suspected overdose deaths in October, twice as many as the monthly total from a year ago and the fifth month this year with over 160 illicit drug-related fatalities. So far 1,386 illicit drug deaths have been reported in 2020, while by the end of November 441 fatalities have been attributed to COVID-19 in B.C. The Coroner’s Service links a sustained increase in overdose deaths since March to the higher concentration of fentanyl in what people are getting off the street, but some point to the complex emotional effects of the pandemic as a factor as well. “This is a function of isolation, mental health challenges, the many things that contribute to the drug toxicity deaths have been heightened and exacerbated during the pandemic,” said Enns during the AGM. “There’s really lots to be aware of as we balance approaches and interventions, so that people stay supported and the least amount of harm happens to people. There’s no easy way through this.” Vina Robinson manages Teechuktl Mental Health, which offers front-line services to Nuu-chah-nulth people. She’s heard from her harm reduction workers that some people are using more drugs during the pandemic as a means of coping with trauma. “If these people didn’t have our harm reduction team, we would have lost way more people,” said Robinson. For work that relies on personal connections, functioning under the pandemic’s social distancing requirements has been a challenging adjustment, admits Stan Matthew, a training and prevention coordina-
Photo by Eric Plummer
Staff with Teechuktl Mental Health are bracing for a busy winter, as a growing number of Nuu-chah-nulth people face isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured are Stan Matthew, Teechuktl’s training and prevention coordinator, with Harm Reduction Coordinator Becky Nookemis (left) and Crisis Response Clinical Counsellor Judy North. tor with Teechuktl. During the early days dential school students who, as children, through any means available. Judy North, of the pandemic the number of reports of couldn’t go home for the holidays. Teechuktl’s crisis response clinical counsuicide ideation or attempts increased to Robinson knows some residential school sellor, encourages everyone to reach out three or four a week. survivors who might be triggered when to others before the isolation takes hold. “We had to get really creative, because they can’t visit their home territory this “If you’ve got a loved one living by we couldn’t go knock on their door like year due to on-reserve lockdown meathemselves, give them a phone call, stand we usually do,” said Matthew, noting that sures. outside their door, wave at them, make catching concerning messages on social “They don’t get to go home, they them a Christmas card,” she said. “When media became an essential part of interdon’t get to have a big dinner with their we’re struggling, one of the best self vention. “One of the effects of the panfamilies, so it’s going to be even harder cares is to reach out to somebody else to demic is that people feel really alone.” with the pandemic added to the already support them…reach out to give help.” After the spring Matthew saw the Christmas blues and depression that hapRobinson stressed the importance of ideation reports decline, but concerning pens,” she said. regularly phoning elders. warnings could increase this winter. Ac“A lot of our people who might have “We want them to feel that they’re cared tive cases in B.C. exponentially increased experienced traumatic events in life, for for and loved by us. I’m recommending this fall to nearly 9,000 by the end of them to be alone was really difficult, that more people do that,” she said. “I November, leading Provincial Health Of- because they’re used to being around don’t ever try and end the call, I let them ficer Bonnie Henry on Nov. 19 to intropeople, and they’re used to having some end it.” duce the strongest measures since schools type of support around them,” added Matthew was surprised to get a call and many businesses were closed in the Matthew. “For them to just be in their from an elder a few weeks ago that recipspring. Until at least Dec. 7 masks are home by themselves caused a lot of anxi- rocated this concern. mandatory in all indoor public spaces. No ety, some depression. It also really, really “It was one of the individuals I was social gatherings or events are permitted affected our residential school survivors, calling to check in with all of the time,” – including religious services – and B.C. because it felt like, again, they were behe recalled. “The individual called me households are directed to not host any ing told what to do. They were told they and said, ‘Hey Stan, I’m just checking on visitors. had to stay in to isolate.” you. How are you doing? Are you okay? As British Columbia awaits the next Pandemic isolation isn’t only a hazard Are things well? Do you need anything?’ update to Henry’s orders to control the for elders, said Becky Nookemis, TeeIt really touched me.” virus’s surge, Matthew is anticipating a chuktl’s harm reduction coordinator. If you are struggling with mental health busy winter that more closely resembles “There are youth in Port Alberni who this winter, counseling is available 24 the alerts he received in the spring. don’t have homes, who are in group hours a day, seven days a week. Some “It slowed down, but I think if we homes or are living on the street,” she examples are the Indian Residential continue to remain in this portion of the said. “They can’t go back to their comSchool Survivors and Family Crisis Line COVID, they may rise again,” he said. munities because their communities are at 1-866-925-4419, the Vancouver Island Under normal circumstances, December in lockdown. They’re alone here in Port Crisis Line at 1-888-494-3888 and 1-800 can be a sad time for some people. This Alberni.” Suicide at 1-800-784-2433. is particularly the case for former resiBut this brings a greater need to connect
Inside this issue... Ehattesaht reports nine COVID cases........................Page 3 Chantel Moore’s brother dies.....................................Page 5 Homelessness solution update...............................Pages 8-9 Remote settlements adapt to power outages.............Page 11 Restaurant owner apologizes....................................Page 15
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