Thank you for your question.
I'm actually very concerned with the case that you just described. I can assure you that at Veterans Affairs Canada our front-line staff and case managers are very knowledgeable and passionate staff, and are very aware of the many complex issues that our veterans experience, as well as the impact that has on families.
Essentially, what our strategy is in working with the veterans is to ensure that we have early intervention. We begin that at the point of their transition from military to civilian life. We ensure that we meet with every veteran who is transitioning. We include the family in that interview. We work with them to put case management plans in place to ensure that their benefits are in place when they release, so that there's a continuity of support and there are no gaps in their treatment.
We work very closely with them in terms of their care plans and in the rehabilitation program. We have a number of operational stress injury clinics across the country where our veterans get very quick access to psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. In addition, we have a peer support program. What we find is that sometimes, because of stigma, our veterans are not coming to programs that would benefit them.
We have a number of peer support coordinators, who have lived the experience of mental health conditions, working with veterans and getting them into our programs. When they are in their programs, care is provided for all of their health care needs, whether it's treatment for mental health or physical conditions. We certainly work closely with them. Across the country we have over 200 case managers who provide that dedicated service.
In conclusion, certainly the case you describe concerns me greatly. If cases like this arise, please to not hesitate to contact our district office immediately. We will definitely have our case managers look into that.