So, the Department of Health and Social Services has a $1-million fund to help communities hire counsellors, and they canSA国际影视传媒檛 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 thereSA国际影视传媒檚 only a little over four months left to spend it. What gives?

LetSA国际影视传媒檚 take a look at what the program is for. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 meant to help communities hire counsellors who will support people with addictions or support programs dealing with addiction recovery or aftercare.

Well, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 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 arenSA国际影视传媒檛 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, SA国际影视传媒淲ell weSA国际影视传媒檙e still using it for addictions.SA国际影视传媒� 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, itSA国际影视传媒檚 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 thereSA国际影视传媒檚 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 SA国际影视传媒� or any other year SA国际影视传媒� 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 wonSA国际影视传媒檛 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.