I think that is absolutely important, and that is why the health and well-being of our members is my top priority. That is why we are investing in the mental health of our defence team, including launching a suicide prevention joint strategy along with my colleague, Minister of Veterans Affairs MacAulay. We are also providing $17.5 million, through budget 2017, on a centre of excellence focused on the prevention and treatment of PTSD and mental health.
The bottom line is that National Defence offers a wide range of programs and services to meet the needs of our civilian and military members, including 31 in-house mental health clinics and referral options to over 4,000 mental health care providers. This includes dedicated mental health professionals at 31 of 37 Canadian Armed Forces health services centres, a 24-7 phone referral service for access to counselling and peer support for those coping with operational stress. The Canadian Armed Forces chaplain service also provides personal support and can refer members to social workers, psychologists and other medical services—