Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  The ones who are open about their own mental health are scared shitless about coming out. It has not changed. The moment you come forward, the moment you have a severe diagnosis, the days are numbered. Even for reservists, the military is a life; it's not just a job. Coming forward and knowing that by coming forward your current life is going to radically change and not under the design of your own doing, it becomes so problematic that, no, there are people who are suffering in silence.

Veterans Affairs committee  When I was taking pharmacotherapy for the psychological issues and for the back injury, Veterans Affairs was the one that the pharmacies turned to. Veterans Affairs paid the pharmacies. This, however, only occurs once you actually have a diagnosis and the claim is accepted by Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Affairs committee  Again, where you say these conversations “stay here”, the veterans community is very aware of these meetings and do access them. I don't want to misspeak in any way or discourage any veteran from seeking the help, because there is help available. The OSISS clinics do work. They don't work for everyone, but they do work.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's still not.

Veterans Affairs committee  They ask probing questions, sometimes questions that don't even seem appropriate. But it's more on your end of their actually trying to go, “You know what? You should be on this. You should be eligible for this.” There are case managers who do go out of their way to let us know.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm working on a Ph.D.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is bloody overwhelming at times, with some of the basic paperwork. There's one annual form that we get from Veterans Affairs just to confirm that you're still alive, to confirm that you're actually receiving benefits, that you haven't been buried or anything. That one's the easiest.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes. I looked at them. The ones from this morning I'm supposed to take to doctors to get filled out. But of course, I have to work back with them. They're all based on whether you are able to go back to work. Also, there's a disconnect on what “work” actually is. That could be a whole other rant of mine.

Veterans Affairs committee  I've gotten no answers back from Veterans Affairs yet, despite the fact the first application we made with my psychotherapist was back in 2012 or 2013, and we reapplied last year. We have not received any answer. My case manager can't find anything to let me know on this.

Veterans Affairs committee  The initial one was done by my psychiatrist, who hinted that he was of the opinion that he really thought I had it. There were problems with psychiatry, especially at CAMH, with the requirement in 2012-13, when they decided that all patients at CAMH must also be receiving pharmacotherapy.

Veterans Affairs committee  These clinicians are not at all associated with the Department of National Defence or Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Affairs committee  No. Again, my case manager...because I had received and been approved for a claim for major depression, and under that, we were able to get the coverage for the psychotherapy. The first assessment with him was approximately four hours long, going through and trying to figure out what was actually happening.

Veterans Affairs committee  Now it's both.