If the need is there, more detox beds will open in the territory, Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said Tuesday.

Her statement comes after the Yukon News reported last week that the Sarah Steele Alcohol and Drug Services facility had to turn people away more than 30 times last month, mostly because its withdrawal management (detox) beds were at capacity.

It’s hard to make a conclusive statement about the need for more beds at this point, Frost told local media after question period, because some days they’re full and others they aren’t.

“I think we need to do the proper due diligence and look back in time and look at what we have.”

The new Sarah Steele building opened in September 2016, and offers 14 adult and four youth detox beds.

“Perhaps it’s time that we had a look at that, and look at its efficiencies, and if there’s need for more supports, more beds, then certainly we would ensure that that happens,” Frost explained.

A budget 2018-19 supplementary document shows that 697 detox admissions were estimated for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The more recent forecast for the year, based on information collected from April 2017 through December 2017, boosts that number to 1,019.

The Department of Health and Social Services could not confirm before this afternoon’s press deadline why the discrepancy between the two numbers is so large.

The 2018-19 detox admissions estimate is based on last year’s forecast, so it also puts the projected number of admissions for this year at 1,019.

Data provided by the cabinet for March show that there was only one day last month when all 14 adult beds in the detox unit were occupied by 14 people. The four youth beds never reached capacity.

But there were nine days without a bed available for women, and nine days without a bed available for men.

People may be turned away when beds are technically unoccupied because there are two beds per room, and if one bed is occupied, the other bed can only be given to someone of the same gender.

Doctors can also request beds be held for individuals, which can impact availability.

People may also be turned away for a number of other reasons.

Those include court-ordered restrictions against contact with people already in the unit, non-managed psychiatric disorders, or severe intoxication leaving them medically unstable.

“We would never turn anyone away if there’s imminent risk to health,” Frost assured.

“That person would likely end up at the emergency room at the hospital. We work with the team there to provide services, we work with our health centres as well.”

Withdrawal Services will also refer people to other community resources like the Salvation Army or outpatient counselling.

Beds are first-come, first-served, and people are told to check back every day.

Frost said it wouldn’t make sense to keep a waitlist because many of the service users “come and go.”

“You see one client today, and you don’t see them again tomorrow, you don’t see them for a long time.”

Some don’t have cellphones, others are homeless, she pointed out.

“To hold a bed for someone that perhaps doesn’t show up today and someone else is in need... I want to ensure that we provide timely services where it’s needed.”