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Military (and government) support for PTSD and families with PTSD sufferers

shiaulteyr

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Good day all;

I'm in charge of writing a series of issues and resolutions for a Federal political party, which will likely be brought up on the Floor, as possible resolutions to be passed by Parliament at a later date.

Having served in the Australian Navy (although Canadian born and currently living in Canada), I can only speak of my experiences with the RAN and Australian Government support for its current serving and retired veterans with regards to the following issues, but would greatly appreciate any input anyone here can provide. My brother (and father) both were in the Canadian Armed Forces (Army and Navy, respectfully), but as my father has died and my brother never saw action, I need additional first-hand experiences in order to write this very important resolution, that will benefit not only us, but our families and communities as a whole.

The resolution deals with PTSD, diagnosis and treatment of PTSD, other related mental illnesses associated with service and traumatic events, and addition support given to the families who live and manage to deal with the afflicted person after they've returned. A recent study by the US Military (I know, I know, Americans...) shows that 33% of service members returning from their first tour could diagnosed with PTSD. That is a very high number, regardless of any way you look at it. Increased exposure, over additional tours/rotations, works as a multiplier to this percentage - making it even more crucial for Canadian Forces members, as I'm sure you are all aware - often take part in multiple deployments in a fairly rapid time-frame. I myself was diagnosed with PTSD, which lead to severe Bi-Polar Type II (among other afflictions), after my service in Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor; which was not diagnosed - nor treated - for almost 2 years. So please do not make the assumption that I do not understand the affliction, nor that I am insisting that serving members have any affliction or will by any means obtain one; rather, look at this a vital resolution to increase the government's attention and support to the serving members, former service members and their families for the betterment of us all.

The key points I'm looking for information on, are as follows, and deal directly with the CF, DVA, and perhaps even the Poppy Fund - should they offer such services and assistance. I've put them in note form, which will hopefully assist you in determining my specific targets.


We want to:
  • Increase steps to reduce PTSD in conflict areas for serving members through the use of situation reaction methods, including soft debriefings (unlike the kind we administered, which were immediate second-by-second battle action account. Those debriefings brought back memories that we had, thanks to our brain's defence mechanism, clouded out), instant counselling services offered and enforced if early signs of increase anger, lack of emotion and distress arises (among other known pre-diagnosis symptoms)
  • Increased regular psychoanalysis screening of active serving and recent returning members (within a 3 year period after deployment), in order to catch other signs of mental illness as a result of traumatic event(s). Since no "blood" can tell you mental illness has occurred, the only modern method for diagnosis such disorders is regular screening and counselling
  • Increase of frequency and length of authorized leave from the active combat zone based on variables including: proximity to known "hot" zones; amount of hostile action(s) witnessed or involved with in recent days/weeks; results of mental stability reports by qualified professionals; additional stress on the serving member due to personal issues and/or concerns for third-parties (families, friends, team members, etcetera).
  • Counselling services for the families of active serving and past-serving members on dealing with (a) spotting mental illness symptoms as they progress; (b) living and dealing with someone with diagnosed (or undiagnosed, which is often the case) PTSD and/or other mental illnesses; (c) living away from family, friends and home-community after being transferred to a local garrison (such as the case in my home town of Edmonton, where many of our military families are thousands of kilometres away from home).
  • Increased funding for "dependants" and increases to the subsidized living programs currently in place to provide military families (and CF personnel, when not on overseas rotation), with more money to sustain a more comfortable quality of living; thereby reducing additional stressed imposed on the family and serving members.
  • Increase drug plan and psychiatric services support for many of the medications used to treat various mental illnesses associated with trauma induced afflictions, both while currently serving and after retirement from active service. Some of these drugs, such as those to treat ADHD (which can be linked to PTSD), can cost someone upwards of $140/month, even with the highest available private drug plans in Canada. Many psychiatrists (and other forms of professional counsellors, are not always fully covered by Provincial of Federal plans)

I thank you all in advance for your opinions, comments, suggestions and questions with regards to this issue. I do have a deadline for submission from my political party of 28 March, so time is somewhat of the essence. I do encourage all of you through, even past said date, to continue working on this issue and I will do my best to see that any additional revisions, comments, and suggestions are passed on to the party (and floor), to the best of my abilities.

If anyone would wish to contact me privately, please feel free to PM me or e-mail me. Thank you very much, in advance, for all you help and understanding. You all are doing a wonderful job - as a wounded combat veteran, and former NCO - you all know I mean that.  :yellow:
 
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