Good afternoon and thank you for the invitation to appear.
Another area where the department has established partnerships to meet the needs of clients with operational stress injuries concerns the network of specialized clinics it has developed. The OSI clinic network is composed of eight clinics that specialize in the treatment of operational stress injuries. Those clinics were funded by Veterans Affairs Canada through agreements with provincial institutions all across the country. We also have two clinics operating at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Hospital, which is currently the subject of negotiations aimed at transferring it to the province of Quebec.
The branch I am in charge of is responsible for managing memoranda of understanding and funding for OSI clinics. We support and guide the development, delivery and coordination of all services provided all across the country.
VAC's OSI clinic network is part of a larger network referred to as the joint network of clinics, which includes the seven operational trauma and stress support centres. These centres are operated by the Department of National Defence and offer similar specialized services as the OSI clinics.
In partnership, VAC and DND provide access to 17 facilities across the country with interdisciplinary mental health services for members of the Canadian Forces, veterans, and their families. This service delivery partnership also extends to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and retired personnel who are suffering from an OSI.
As the department is taking steps to better understand the military culture and experience, the OSI peer support partnership with DND, for which I'm also responsible in VAC, is key in improving our ability to reach those in need. Having a peer support service, in collaboration with OSI clinics, provides a comfortable setting for veterans and their families as they seek or undergo treatment. This gives them an opportunity to speak with someone who understands their issues. This is invaluable and shows how VAC is becoming more and more sensitive to their unique situation.
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to share how VAC is improving its service delivery through partnerships, and I now invite Derek Sullivan to speak about how partnerships play an important part in the department's commemoration efforts.