Evidence of meeting #15 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was terms.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Program and Service Policy Division, Department of Veterans Affairs
We don't make errors in the public service, sir, I'm sorry.
5:10 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
I'm very sorry.
In terms of tele-health, are you asking specific questions as far as getting feedback on service? We always see clinical therapy as one-on-one in an office. Is there a high level of satisfaction with that? Is it close to the same kind of effectiveness?
Do you understand where I'm coming from? I'm wondering if we have a handle on how effective that is compared to someone actually travelling to an office and being with a counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist.
5:15 p.m.
Director, Mental Health Policy Directorate, Department of Veterans Affairs
I can speak to the tele-mental-health side of things, which is what you may be referring to.
5:15 p.m.
Director, Mental Health Policy Directorate, Department of Veterans Affairs
We're still early days in this. In the department we've conducted three pilot projects, at this point, to ensure that we know what we're getting into when we enter the tele-mental-health field.
It is a field that is available in all the provinces of Canada, but it is tricky. You need to be able to create all of the safeguards around the intervention in an environment where the individuals are not physically present.
We did conduct a pilot project in Newfoundland, one in Calgary, and one recently in Fredericton, to develop the protocols to ensure that when we implement this fully across the department, we have the assurances that the interventions will unfold as they should, with the appropriate safeguards at both ends.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Good. Thank you very much.
Thank you to all of you. We appreciate your answers. We've also learned some lessons, on our next study, of the witnesses we need to have.
We'll take a break and then go in camera for committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]