Yorkton Tribal Council's Addictions and Mental Health conference returns for third year
![Melanie Knutson Yorkton Tribal Council Addictions Worker, Melanie Knutson presents to the crowd at the “Restoring Hope,” Mental Health and Addictions conference in Yorkton on Dec. 7, 2022. (Brady Lang/CTV News)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2022/12/7/melanie-knutson-1-6185333-1670457726090.jpg)
Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC) is hosting a three-day Mental Health and Addictions Conference, geared at an Indigenous-led response for the crisis.
2022’s version is called “Restoring Hope,” and it’s the third year the conference has been facilitated by YTC.
Speakers from across Saskatchewan spoke of culture, languages, traditions, traditional medicines and its connections with addictions, along with work towards suicide prevention, trauma recovery, the opioid crisis and overcoming addictions.
Melanie Knutson is an addictions worker with YTC, and the mental health crisis team coordinator. She also led much of the organizing leading up to the conference.
“It’s for all six of our YTC First Nation communities,” she said. “It’s mostly for our frontline workers to focus on different topics and different information.”
In the first two days, the conference has welcomed around 200 to the Gallagher Centre, with Thursday’s agenda featuring more on the opioid crisis in Indigenous communities.
“Already in our communities, they have less supports and resources than urban centres do … a lot of our communities were shut down (during COVID-19) … they didn’t have access to mental health supports and addictions supports,” Knutson said.
She added that most addictions centres are looking at a backlog of around six months for treatment, created by the pandemic.
“They’re stuck on their communities, so what are you going to do? So that’s where addictions increases quite a bit,” Knutson said, before explaining the link between rises in overdose deaths and suicides.
“It’s a perpetual cycle of trauma. Everyone uses for a reason, it’s not something that’s random.”
Knutson said with the pandemic ending, numerous addictions and trauma related deaths are occurring on reserve. The addictions worker said an increase in funding will lead to more supports from YTC to its member communities in the new year.
Bringing together these six Indigenous communities also brings an Indigenous way of thinking, and perspective, said Knutson.
“Indigenous culture is all about family and holistic health. They’re very much following the medicine wheel, of if someone is struggling with addiction, there’s another piece or another part of their life that is out of balance … it’s very important,” she said.
Since 2020, Saskatchewan has experienced over 1,000 overdose deaths.
Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service Chief Coroner Clive Weighill said Indigenous populations are “overrepresented for the size of their population.”
So far in 2022, 355 have died due to overdoses as of Oct. 31, with Saskatchewan set to surpass the record set in 2021 of 410.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6954857.1720387155!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Alice Munro's daughter says mom kept silent when stepfather sexually abused her
The youngest daughter of celebrated Canadian author Alice Munro has opened up about sexual abuse by her stepfather and the deep hurt she felt when her mother chose to support her husband instead of her child.
France election: Leftists win more seats over far right, but leaves hung parliament
A coalition of the French left won the most seats in high-stakes legislative elections Sunday, beating back a far-right surge but failing to win a majority.
Bus crashes into electrical pylon, causing massive power outage on the South Shore
Tens of thousands of households on Montreal's South Shore have been without electricity since Saturday night after a bus crashed into an electrical pylon.
Ottawa councillor, residents condemn arrival of 'hateful' group Diagolon 'Terror Tour'
A community group and an Ottawa city councillor have come forward to condemn the arrival of the far-right group Diagolon after it brought its 'Road Rage Terror Tour' to Ottawa over the weekend.
Planning a last-minute summer vacation? Here's how to save money
Summer is already in full swing, but there is still time to plan a vacation — and even save some money, while you're at it.
'Meltdown': A week later, WestJet continues to feel the fallout from mechanics strike
One week after it ended, WestJet continues to feel the effects of a mechanics strike that nearly shut down the airline's network for 29 hours.
ANALYSIS Why are Trudeau and Singh avoiding Stampede this year?
This year, only Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will be saddling up for the event, while both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh will stay away.
As Biden continues campaigning, some House Democrat leaders say he should step aside
Some leading congressional Democrats privately suggested it was time for U.S. President Joe Biden to abandon his reelection bid.
Woman dies at Rolling Stones concert in Vancouver
A woman attending the Rolling Stones concert at BC Place died Friday night, police confirmed.