Fund veterans and family therapy
Petitioners ask Veterans Affairs Canada to fund ongoing mental‑health treatment for veterans with service‑related conditions and to authorize government‑funded therapy for family caregivers, including continuation after a veteran’s death, when recommended by the veteran’s treating mental‑health professional. The government responds that VAC has partially implemented expanded family mental‑health supports.
Why we would sign this petition
- It ensures veterans with service-related mental-health conditions receive continuous, funded care, reducing treatment disruption.
- It helps family caregivers access ongoing therapy, including after a veteran's death, preserving therapeutic continuity when most needed.
- It advances the Ombudsman's recommendation to recognize and support family members' service-related mental-health needs.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Expanding coverage for families could significantly increase program costs and require budget trade-offs across veterans’ services.
- Tying eligibility to a veteran's treating professional may create administrative complexity and inconsistent access across cases.
- Provincial insured health services already cover mental health for many; strengthening provincial pathways or targeted programs might be more practical.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons Veterans Affairs pays for consistent mental health treatment for veterans who live with a service-related mental health condition; Veterans Affairs may authorize consistent therapy sessions with a registered mental health professional of their choice for veterans' family members engaged in caregiving for the veteran if recommended by a registered mental health professional treating the veteran; Families and caregivers of veterans are deeply affected by the burden of the veterans' service, particularly when the veteran has service-related mental health conditions and loses their battle with their injury resulting in suicide; Family members receiving government funded therapy as described above currently lose this funded therapy when the veteran is no longer living. This can interrupt a therapeutic relationship when the patient is most vulnerable and in greatest need; and In 2021, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman released a report entitled "Mental Health Treatment Benefits for Family Members, in Their Own Right, for Conditions Related to Military Service" that recommended government-funded mental health treatment to family members of veterans when their mental health condition is related to military service, regardless of the veteran’s own treatment needs. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to act on the recommendations from the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman's report "Mental Health Treatment Benefits for Family Members, in Their Own Right, for Conditions Related to Military Service", particularly the government-funded health treatment for family members of veterans when their mental health condition is related to the veterans' service.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Signed by Mr. Sean Casey Veterans Affairs Canada acknowledges the important role families play in supporting the well-being of Veterans with service-related injuries. Veterans Affairs Canada continues to examine and improve how it serves Veterans and their families, ensuring that policies are applied with empathy and flexibility to meet their evolving needs. While family members of Veterans have access to provincial and territorial insured health services like all Canadians, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces are working together to ensure Veteran families feel recognized and supported in their vital role in the well-being of Veterans. To help ease the challenges that families may experience, eligible family members can access counselling services through Veterans Affairs Canada’s Treatment Benefits and Rehabilitation Programs. These supports include family, couple, and group therapy, and may be available when recommended by the treating health professional as part of the Veteran’s recovery journey. Family members can also access coverage for mental health services through the Public Service Health Care Plan via three pathways: where a former Canadian Armed Forces member is a pensioner and qualifies for this health care plan; where a former Canadian Armed Forces member is an employee or retiree of the federal public service; or, where a qualifying Veteran or survivor is eligible for Veterans Affairs Canada Group Health Insurance - Public Service Health Care Plan. Veterans Affairs Canada fully agrees with the goal of providing Veterans’ family members with the mental health support they need, where and when they need it. Veterans Affairs Canada is committed to demonstrating maximum flexibility, care and compassion in addressing the urgent mental health needs of family members within its legislated authorities. In response to recommendations from the Office of the Veterans Ombud, Veterans Affairs Canada has partially implemented measures to expand access to mental health supports for family members. These services are available through a variety of programs and initiatives, including: Direct Mental Health Supports for Family Members: Eligible family members may access mental health services when recommended by a treating health professional as part of a Veteran’s recovery plan. These services include: Up to 20 sessions of psychological support per issue through the VAC Assistance Service, a confidential 24/7 counselling service. Bereavement support for families of Veterans whose death is related to service. Individual, couple, family, and group therapy through Veterans Affairs Canada-funded providers and Operational Stress Injury Clinics. Family peer support via the Operational Stress Injury Social Support service. Educational and information sessions for adult family members of Operational Stress Injury Clinic clients. Programs and Resources Accessible Directly by Families: Veterans Affairs Canada also funds a range of programs and tools that family members can access independently: Veteran Family Program, offering transition support services to medically-releasing Canadian Armed Forces members and their families through 32 Military Family Resource Centres nationwide. This includes the Family Information Line for information, support, referrals, reassurance, and crisis management. Veteran Family Telemedicine Service, providing one year of virtual health care post-release, including prescriptions, lab requisitions, doctor’s notes, and specialist referrals. Mental Health First Aid tailored for the Veteran community, in partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Online tools and mobile apps, such as PTSD Coach Canada, OSI Connect, LifeSpeak, and the OSI Resource for Caregivers. Additional Supports for Family Members: Veterans Affairs Canada also offers broader supports to qualifying family members, including: Caregiver Recognition Benefit, a monthly tax-free payment recognizing caregivers who support Veterans. Employment and Education Services, including Career Transition Services and Vocational Assistance for spouses when the Veteran is unable to participate. Veterans Independence Program, which helps survivors and dependents remain independent at home through housekeeping and grounds maintenance services.