Veterans Affairs Committee on May 1st, 2023

[Wilson Miao, Liberal, Richmond Centre, BC]

Colonel Noonan, would you like to add more to that?

[Col Lisa Noonan]

Depending on the individual female veteran, there could be a variety of issues they're facing. We do know that military sexual trauma is more prevalent amongst women than among male veterans. We have case management to help deal with that, but we also have third party organizations that they can be referred to as part of this military transition engagement directive that I was talking about that has these resources. Some of those resources reside within the CAF, and some are better left to civilian organizations that can deal specifically with issues.

As Captain Beck mentioned, the sense of purpose is another key part. Individual psychological well-being is very much integrated with their future in terms of what they see leaving the CAF, possibilities of where they're going to work, where they're going to live and the kinds of things that are important, but also dealing with that psychological piece at the same time.

I think it's balancing the two of those, which is what we try to help with as they do their transition.

[Wilson Miao, Liberal, Richmond Centre, BC]

Thank you.

Colonel Wright, would you have something to add to this?

[Col Helen Wright]

Those were excellent responses from my colleagues, but I will add one other element.

We also need to look at these folks as individuals. Each individual will come through with their own experiences, their own identity factors and their own concerns. That's why it's important to have both the tailored transition services but also get people linked up with primary care once they have released.

[Wilson Miao, Liberal, Richmond Centre, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Now we're going to start a third round of questions. I invite Mr. Terry Dowdall for five minutes.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank all the individuals here for their testimony as well for their service. It's very much appreciated.

My first question is to Colonel Wright.

When you made your statement at the beginning, you said that there are basically four areas that you're going to focus on. The second one caught my ear a little bit, because it dealt more with medical care, clinical care and things of that nature.

Is there enough money in that budget to cover these types of ideas that are coming forward?

[Col Helen Wright]

Yes, we really are in the very fortunate position that we've been resourced to target all four of the lines of effort that I mentioned, including care. We have ambitious plans to hire a nurse practitioner or equivalent for each and every one—multiple in some cases—of the larger clinics across the country.

In fact, our challenge really will be hiring the right people in the very competitive health care human resources climate that we're in.

I would say that our challenge is going to be finding those right people, not that we aren't resourced to hire them at the moment.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Okay, to follow up on that, one of the things that we heard commonly is that people have a hard time after leaving the armed forces, when they become a veteran, to get that medical care. As an example, the military base at Borden is actually in my riding, and I know that many of the individuals in the military in the medical field actually help at the local hospital, Stevenson Memorial, down in Alliston.

There have been opportunities or thoughts to perhaps expand together, and there just seem to be silos. I know some of it is provincial, but I think there are some ways that we could probably do a better job. I don't know if there's a way you could tie in with those veterans when they have those ties with those individuals during their time at the military base, because it's a big concern. I don't know, in your eyes, if you think that there are some opportunities there.

[Col Helen Wright]

As you alluded to in your question, fundamentally, health care is provided by the provinces and territories, yet we as DND are a federal entity.

The opportunities that I think you're referring to have to do with people who are working in both systems, as opposed to just in our system. I suppose there are opportunities. Certainly one hears frequently of retired military physicians also picking up—

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

That's all I'm saying. I think there's probably a good opportunity as a collective to do a better job.

My next question, quickly, is for Captain Beck. I know we've heard time and again from veterans about their loss of purpose, all of a sudden, and loss of self-worth. They're done. Their career is done. They have a day. They're here, and then they don't hear it anymore.

I was wondering if anyone's ever thought outside the box a little bit to the fact that we do.... For students there are co-ops. In the last year that they happen to be in the military, are there opportunities where perhaps, instead of a quick cut-off point, they could almost be in a part-time scenario and still be part of the military? Could we give them that transition period so that they don't have that problem after that day that they're done? Maybe they might not have that mental stress.

You'd probably work better together on some of these issues, when we're looking at security clearances and things of that nature, if they were not done right away. You could probably come up with a better system for everyone.

[Capt(N) Iain Beck]

I'm not sure that we in health services have control of that. However, I think the idea is an excellent one, that true transition to a civilian life. I'm not certain—and Colonel Noonan can speak to this—whether there are actually some programs or opportunities.

I know that for medically releasing people, sometimes through the transition centre, we'll have them on what we generally call a “return to duty” program, where they may work in other environments. That certainly can introduce them to the civilian world. Unfortunately, although they're on a return to duty program, most of those members who have long-term health issues end up releasing. I think that's certainly an opportunity to see the civilian setting.

I don't know if Colonel Noonan wants to speak to that.

[Col Lisa Noonan]

For the ill and injured population, depending on what their career plan is for post-CAF life, that opportunity is presented to them via the vocational rehabilitation program, which allows them to start to work in another organization or to go back to school for up to six months before their release.

In addition, as Iain mentioned, the first step is always to try to reintegrate them back into the CAF. Of course, if they've had a decision that their medical condition and limitations are too severe to retain them in the CAF, that's another thing, and that's where voc rehab fits in, but if we can reintegrate them back into the CAF, the return to duty program is really critical for ensuring that we have that kind of program to take the pressure off them but also maybe to introduce them to a new career path within the CAF itself.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I have one quick comment at the end. I was fortunate enough to be at a veterans' dinner on the weekend. There were 270 of them there who had served. Even though some of them did have different issues that were involved with their military time, every single one of them said that they would serve once again, which I thought was absolutely incredible.

That's it, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you very much, Mr. Dowdall.

Now let's get to Mrs. Rechie Valdez for five minutes, please.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to all the witnesses for joining us for this very important study. I appreciate your continued service to our country.

Through you, Mr. Chair, I'll ask Colonel Wright some questions first. Given your extensive experience working in the field of health and science, what is your perspective on the overall role of mental health services in supporting women veterans?

[Col Helen Wright]

Well, I'm a family physician by training, so I think that mental health and physical health are part and parcel, in so many cases, of the same thing. So yes, I absolutely think that supporting people in their mental health realm is important.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Through the transition centre, can you explain how you assist women with mental health services? Is it part of the consultation process that was talked about earlier?

[Col Helen Wright]

Do you mean through the formal transition process?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Yes.

[Col Helen Wright]

Maybe we should put that one to Colonel Noonan.

[Col Lisa Noonan]

Are you thinking of ill and injured members who are female, or are you talking about the entire population?

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

It's whomever you provide support for.

[Col Lisa Noonan]

Okay.

Could you say the question again? I'm sorry.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Sure.

Earlier we were talking about the transition support you provide. I'm curious about when the service begins and how long it lasts. What is it like when I come for the first time and ask for support with regard to mental health?