There are several programs in place that help support those individuals who support injured or ill family members. For example, we have a caregiver recognition benefit. It's an annual allowance of, I think, about $1,200 a month. It's been increased, indexed by inflation, over the course of time since it started. It's about $1,200 a month to recognize the additional work and support that family members may offer to an injured or ill veteran.
We offer some opportunities for family members. If a veteran is not able to take part in some rehabilitation programs because they're too ill, a family member or spouse in this case can take on the rehabilitation and be able to be trained to do something different—something they may not have been able to do as a result of caregiving and other things—if their own career was interrupted. There are some career transition supports that are available for family members, spouses in particular. Again, we can talk about a veteran who might release at a certain base and be transferred to another, or who may be transferred during their career. The spouse comes along with them and needs some help and support in finding a position in the new area to which they've relocated. There are some supports that exist there.
There's the availability of some counselling sessions, independent of the veteran if needed, for family members. There's a VAC assistance service that's a 24-7 service where people can get up to 20 counselling sessions through mental health provisions supported to them when there are issues that may arise as a result of being in a military family.
The last one I'll just mention quickly. There's a veterans family program available through military family resource centres. I'm sure they've come up at this committee a number of times. Releasing members and their family members can go and get supports from their local military family resource centre to help with their transition.