Question Period Note: CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH

• We are committed to adding resources and expertise so that comprehensive mental health supports and services are in place for the wellbeing of Veterans.

• As announced in Budget 2017, we are investing $17.5 million over four years, and then $9.2 million per year to establish a Centre of Excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder and related mental health conditions.

• The new Centre of Excellence opened of April 2019, and is located at the Royal Ottawa.

• The mental health and well-being of Veterans and their families is at the heart of what is done at Veterans Affairs Canada.

BACKGROUND - CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH

Mandate letter of former Minister of Veterans Affairs S. O’Regan: Create a new centre of excellence in veterans’ care with a specialization in mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues.

• As announced in Budget 2017, we are investing $17.5 million over four years, and then $9.2 million per year ongoing, starting in spring 2018, to establish a Centre of Excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder. The Centre of Excellence will is responsible for the creation and dissemination of knowledge on the prevention, assessment and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and related mental health conditions in Veterans and also affecting Canadian Armed Forces members.

• The Centre of Excellence will contribute to the wellbeing of Veterans and of serving Canadian Armed Forces members by optimizing access to mental health treatment providing best outcomes possible with its leadership in:

o Applied research for scientific advancements in the area of Veterans’ and military mental health;
o The development and sharing from coast to coast of evidence-based practices, programs and tools in the mental health assessment and treatment of this population;
o The training of health care providers on evidence-based programs, treatment and tools and increasing public awareness and the de-stigmatization of mental health illness.

• The Centre of Excellence will work closely with the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, the Centre of Excellence on Chronic Pain, institutes and universities.

• The Centre of Excellence will also work with the Network of 11 Operational Stress Injury Clinics funded by Veterans Affairs Canada and with the Network of 7 Operational Trauma and Stress Support Centres operated by the Canadian Armed Forces. These networks are recognized for evidence based assessment and treatment of mental health conditions related to military service.

On May 7, 2018, Veterans Affairs Canada announced funding for the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Related Mental Health Conditions. The Centre of Excellence will work with and expand existing Canadian mental health clinical and research networks to increase creation and dissemination of new Canadian expertise on military and Veteran mental health, suicide prevention and substance-use disorder issues. The new Centre of Excellence opened in the spring of 2019.

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