Good afternoon, Mr. White and Mr. Brown.
People with PTSD are most definitely faced with a lack of resources and services. I feel that we first have to address the screening issue. We're talking about resources and time that the RCMP and the Canadian Forces should invest in screening people with post-traumatic stress or related problems and in actually providing services. If it turns out that those people don't have any problems, a follow-up should always be done on individuals who have experienced traumatic situations that could later lead to post-traumatic stress.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression that, if the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes that a person has PTSD, it questions the whole thing and it raises doubts because there is a cost associated with it. When these people talk to mental health workers and officials, they must fight to prove that they actually have this particular problem. So not only do they have to break a taboo, but they also have to fight against the system within which the problem is not recognized because of the future costs.
I am going to tell you about a situation I'm familiar with and draw a parallel to our discussion. When someone with a mental health problem goes to see a psychologist or a worker at a CLSC, they are seen within 48 hours, in most cases, and they at least get an answer. It goes without saying that this is not the case with Veterans Affairs Canada or with the RCMP. But the difference is that it is not up to the organizations providing the services to establish whether these people are entitled to a disability benefit.
On a number of occasions in this committee, individuals told us how mental health problems and PTSD led them towards suicide. Some people say there is no link. I personally believe there is a link. These people never got any services. There are grey areas. Could you talk about those grey areas and could you comment on what I just said?