Yukon government pledges to work with First Nations to combat mental health crisis

WHITEHORSE - The Yukon authorities says it's working to handle the territory’s psychological well being disaster as overdose and suicide charges proceed to surge.

In November, the Yukon Coroner’s Service mentioned the territory’s opioid overdose fee per capita was the very best in Canada with a reported 48.4 deaths per 100,000 folks.

The federal government says in a launch Friday that it's going to honour the lives misplaced within the territory subsequent month alongside Yukon First Nations at a psychological wellness summit that can concentrate on addressing substance use, the opioid disaster and suicide prevention.

It comes because the Tagish First Nation in Carcross declared a state of emergency following information of what it says are three drug-related fatalities within the small neighborhood within the first week of the yr.

Leaders and neighborhood members are calling on the federal government to work with First Nations to handle the territory’s ongoing drug disaster.

Premier Sandy Silver says the beginning of this yr has been devastating and has pledged to work with communities to “take significant steps to make sure no Yukoner is left behind.”

“The beginning of this yr has been extraordinarily troublesome and extremely unhappy, as our territory continues to wrestle with devastating lack of life because of opioids and psychological well being points,” he mentioned in a press release.

“We are going to work along with Yukon First Nations, neighborhood leaders and different consultants to assist co-ordinate our strategy to fulfill the wants of all Yukon communities.”

Vigils and marches have additionally been deliberate in communities throughout the territory this weekend to honour the deaths and to deliver consciousness to the rising overdose disaster.

— By Brieanna Charlebois in Vancouver

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 14, 2022.

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This story was produced with the monetary help of the Fb and Canadian Press Information Fellowship.