Question Period Note: MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS

• Veterans Affairs Canada provides support for mental health and improves the quality of life for Veterans, their families, and caregivers.
• Eligible family members and survivors can access mental health treatments, health care benefits, vocational assistance, and financial support, including the Caregiver Recognition Benefit.
• Whether in their communities, through the Veteran Family Program, through Operational Stress Injury clinics, or through the 24/7 toll free Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service help line, Veterans and their families can access mental health supports when they need them.
• These supports provide access to counselling and peer support networks to help Veterans and their families through recovery and rehabilitation.

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) recognizes the essential role that families and caregivers play in supporting the well-being of Veterans. To reduce strain and ensure families receive the support they need, VAC provides a wide range of mental health, social, practical, and financial supports.
Policy and Program Guidance:
The 2022 Guideline for Funding Mental Health Services Involving Family Members provides clarity on when mental health services for families are covered under Treatment Benefits and Rehabilitation Programs.
The Mental Health Program of Choice (POC) 12 enables funding of mental health services for family members—either in support of a Veteran’s treatment plan or rehabilitation goals. This can include family, group, or couples counselling (with or without the Veteran present), delivered by licensed mental health professionals such as psychologists and social workers.
Mental Health Supports for Families:
Families may participate in counselling and therapy when a treating mental health professional or rehabilitation assessor confirms the involvement is required for the Veteran’s recovery or rehabilitation.
Services may include family, couple, and group therapy, based on clinical need.
The Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service (1-800-268-7708; TDD 1-800-567-5803) offers 24/7 confidential psychological support, face-to-face and virtual counselling, bereavement support, referral services, and Pastoral Outreach for spiritual counselling for CAF Veterans and their families.
Clinical and Peer Support Services:
VAC operates a network of 10 Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinics and 11 OSI Satellite Service Sites, which deliver mental health assessments and treatment for Veterans and eligible clients.
o Family members may attend educational sessions and counselling when it is clinically required for the Veteran’s treatment.
The Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) Program provides confidential peer support to CAF members, Veterans, and their families impacted by operational stress injuries.
o Support is delivered by trained peer coordinators and volunteers who are knowledgeable about VAC services and community resources.
o OSISS can be reached toll-free at 1-800-883-6094 or via osiss.ca.

Family and Caregiver Support Programs:
Caregiver Recognition Benefit: a monthly tax-free payment of $1,239.46 paid directly to Veterans’ informal caregivers.
Veteran Family Program (VFP): provides access to all 32 Military Family Resource Centres across Canada, including the Family Information Line and CAFconnection.ca.
Veteran Family Telemedicine Service: provides one year of virtual health care access post-release, including prescriptions and renewals, lab requisitions, doctor’s notes, and referrals.
Mental Health First Aid for the Veteran Community: available virtually and in person to family members and caregivers.
Digital and mobile tools: families can access online supports such as PTSD Coach Canada, OSI Connect, LifeSpeak, and the Operational Stress Injury Resource for Caregivers.
Employment, Education, and Independence Supports:
Career Transition Services (CTS): offers career counselling and coaching.
Vocational Assistance: available to spouses when the Veteran cannot participate in vocational rehabilitation.
Veterans Independence Program (VIP): provides housekeeping and grounds maintenance services to support the independence of survivors and dependents.
Ombud Recommendations and Parliamentary Action:
In 2021, the Office of the Veterans Ombud recommended government-funded mental health treatment for family members in their own right when their mental health condition is related to military service, regardless of the Veteran’s treatment needs.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs responded that the Veterans Health Care Regulations do not currently authorize direct treatment benefits for family members alone but committed to providing alternative resources wherever possible and being as flexible as the legislation allows.
On October 29, 2025, MP Blake Richards presented e-petition P-451-00214 in the House of Commons, urging the Government to act on the Ombud’s 2021 recommendation to provide government-funded mental health treatment to Veterans’ family members independently of the Veteran’s treatment plan. The Government’s response is expected to table early December 2025.
o Q-401 by MP Cathay Wagantall (expected to be tabled November 19, 2025) asks about the Government’s current position and progress on implementing this recommendation, including communications, actions, and steps taken.
o Both items are closely related: Q-401 aligns with Richards’ petition P-451-00214.

QUICK FACTS & FIGURES

Caregiver Recognition Benefit (CRB)
• $27.8M was distributed to CRB caregivers in 2024-25.
• 1,953 caregivers are currently receiving CRB.
Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS)
• 2,066 receiving services, which included 1,043 peers participating in group meetings.
• From 2001-2025 more than 20,000 received services.
• Veterans and family members represent 76% of Peers served by OSISS.
Veteran Family Program (VFP)
• 2,635 clients were serviced in 2024-2025.
• 14,000 clients have been serviced by VFP since 2019.
Mental Health Support for Family Involvement (VAC Guidelines)
• Under updated guidelines issued on May 6, 2020, family members may take part in mental health treatment when the Veteran’s mental health professional confirms it is required for the Veteran’s recovery.
• Family members may participate in Rehabilitation Program mental health services when the assessing or treating professional determines it will help the Veteran meet their rehabilitation goals.
Veterans Independence Program (VIP)
• In 2024–2025, the Veterans Independence Program supported 19,462 Primary Caregivers and 593 Survivors with funding for housekeeping and/or grounds maintenance services.