Canada invests $2 million over 10 years to support Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces personnel
WINNIPEG, Feb. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia, on behalf of the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today was at the Deer Lodge Centre to announce a significant expansion to the Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic that serves Winnipeg-area Veterans, personnel and their families. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) will invest approximately $2 million over 10 years to move and expand the clinic from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet to meet the growing demand for mental health services.
Quick Facts
- Veterans Affairs Canada's network of OSI clinics is dedicated to the treatment and support of Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP service men and women living with operational stress injuries, and their families.
- The Winnipeg OSI Clinic is one of a network of 10 clinics funded by Veterans Affairs Canada. The Department of National Defence is responsible for an additional seven OSI clinics.
- The new location will offer an enhanced waiting area space, a room for families, an area for tele-health, meeting space for peer support coordinators and more rooms for clinicians to meet with Veterans and their families.
- Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence also work together through a joint network of 24 integrated personnel support centres, and seven satellite locations, to give Veterans, personnel and their families one-stop access to services including mental health support.
Quotes
"The Harper Government continues to invest in initiatives that improve the quality of life for Veterans living with mental health conditions and their families. These additional funds are another way that we support those who stood up for Canada."
The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs
"The men and women who have served Canada give so much of themselves to protect the people, principles and nation that we hold so dear. Our Government will continue to make the right decisions to ensure that those who need help, both here in Winnipeg and right across Canada, get the assistance that they need."
The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia
"Deer Lodge Centre is pleased Veterans Affairs Canada is providing additional funds to support an expanded clinic. The Centre has a long tradition of providing services to the military and Veterans and we look forward to continuing the relationship."
Réal Cloutier, Chief Operating Officer, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Deer Lodge Centre.
Related Products
- Mental Health support
- Points of service of Veterans and their families
- How to help someone who is in crisis
- Ways to deal with a crisis
- The changing demographics of Veterans and their families
Associated Links
- Veterans Affairs Canada: Mental Health
- Deer Lodge Centre: OSI Clinic
- Government of Canada Announces Additional Funding for Deer Lodge Centre Operational Stress Injury Clinic
SOURCE: Veterans Affairs Canada
Contacts
Joshua Zanin
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Veterans of Affairs
613-996-4649
Media Relations
Veterans Affairs Canada
613-992-7468
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