Affidavit of Michael Bear - Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry

Proieet Neeeheewam
[81] Tracia Owen was staying at a residential care agency called Project
Neecheewam at the time of her death. This is a facility for six girls usually
around the ages of 11 to 14 who are overseen by three key counselors. The
hope is to create a home-like living accommodation (life skills) that would
provide stability, security and counseling for the residents, As the progress
of the residents is monitored the counselors would recommend external
resources, as they see fit, to respond to the individual needs of the residents
— i.e. medical, educational, recreational programming (Pow Wow). By
determining individual needs the staff can respond by using programs
already in existence in other agencies such as Klinic, MaMawi, Manitoba
Youth and Care Network, Ndinaiwe Resource Centre. Psychotherapy
counseling can be provided as well as a mentorship program. The residents
usually offer a great many socialization challenges and the staff is prepared
to meet those challenges by references to whatever program may offer
support to the resident while she lives at Project Neecheewam.
[82] When Tracia Owen was placed at Project Neecheewam by Pat
Alphonso Cox, a social history accompanied her. The very brief social
history raised areas of concern and obvious need for treatment in many
areas. This social history cried out for more information concerning
previous placements and the nature of past victimization. This information
allows the staff to monitor and counsel the resident with knowledge of past
issues. This information is essential to allow staff to provide the necessary
counseling and referrals to outside resources to meet these needs. It makes
sure the staff is not planning in a vacuum which is essential with respect to
family contact and safety concerns.
[83] The residence keeps a running documentation through its log notes in
order to stabilize the resident, arrive at goals of treatment and to manage
outside resources to assist. Without going into all the details contained in
the log it was apparent Tracia would need long-term residential care. It was
obvious she had had attachment issues with respect to her parents not being
able to nurture, an inability to interact appropriately with the other residents,
and other behavioral interactions. At one point the mobile crisis unit was
called in order to assist in stabilization. Despite the lack of appropriate and
timely information and despite the many challenges Tracia presented, the
staff of Project Neecheewam proceeded to take whatever steps were
necessary in order to stabilize her and move on to fulfilling her needs. The