Question Period Note: MILITARY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRES – VETERANS FAMILY PROGRAM

• The Veterans Family Program ensures that medically released Veterans and their families have continued and uninterrupted access to all 32 Military Family Resource Centres and the programs that they deliver, including access to the Family Information Line and online tools on CAFconnection.ca.

• Originally, these services were only available to still serving Canadian Armed Forces members and their families.

• The expansion of services at Military Family Resource Centres to medically released Veterans and their families represents a commitment of $147 million over six years to Veterans and their families.

• The focus of Budget 2017 was to have better and stronger supports for families and the well-being of Veterans. This further built on the significant investment we made in Budget 2016.

BACKGROUND - Military Family Resource Centres - Veterans Family Program

The Veteran Family Program offers medically-releasing CAF members and their families continued access to the Military Family Resource Centres and to a suite of transition-support programs and services, which include:
• Enhanced information and referral services from the Veteran Family Coordinator
• National Transition Programs (i.e. Mental Health First Aid, Financial Counselling, etc.)
• Resources and access to Military Family Services Programming

The Veteran Family Program pilot project launched in October 2015, allowed access for medically released Veterans and their families to seven Military Family Resource Centres across the country. They were also provided access to the telephone-based Family Information Line and the CAFconnection.ca website. These services were traditionally available only to still-serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

As a result of Budget 2017, the launch of the Veteran Family Program on April 1 2018 expanded the model so that all medically releasing Veterans and their families have continued and uninterrupted access to all 32 Military Family Resource Centres across the country. This represents a commitment of $147 million over six years to Veterans and their families.

Located on Canadian Armed Forces Bases and Wings, Military Family Resource Centres are the hub of military communities. They provide programs and services that empower and encourage strong, independent individuals and families. The model chosen for the delivery of military family services is one of family support and community development.

Each centre is a not-for-profit organization, managed by a volunteer board of directors, represented by a majority of military family members. Board members are elected by the community. They assess local needs, in order to avoid duplication of community services and resources, while determining priorities, providing leadership and the mandated delivery of the national Military Family Services Program.

Military Family Resource Centres

1. Bagotville
2. Borden
3. Calgary
4. Cold Lake
5. Comox
6. Central Saskatchewan
7. Edmonton
8. Esquimalt
9. Gagetown
10. Gander
11. Goose Bay
12. Greenwood
13. Halifax and Region
14. Kingston
15. London
16. Mainland British Columbia
17. Meaford
18. Montreal
19. Moose Jaw
20. National Capital Region
21. North Bay
22. Prince Edward Island
23. Petawawa
24. Shilo
25. St. John’s
26. Suffield
27. Toronto
28. Trenton
29. Valcartier
30. Wainwright
31. Winnipeg
32. Yellowknife

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