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Mental health first aid course available to military veterans and families

Course teaches skills for dealing with drug overdose, suicidal behaviour, panic attacks, psychosis and acute stress reaction.
Mental Health First Aid — Veteran Community
The Mainland B.C. Military Family Resource Centre is offering a new mental health course for active military members, veterans and their families. Photo iStock

With poppy sales beginning within the week, for some active military members, veterans and their families, the lead-up to Remembrance Day can be a difficult time because it evokes memories of friends and loved ones they’ve lost.

According to the Mainland B.C. Military Family Resource Centre, Remembrance Day is something they have to prepare for in much the same way that people with depression must brace for the Christmas holidays.

To help address the overall impact of mental health issues on military families, the centre is rolling out a new course to assist medically released veterans and their families across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley: Mental Health First Aid — Veteran Community. The course is one component of the Veteran Family Program, new services introduced by Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) last April and presented by military family resource centres across the country.

According to VAC, it’s not uncommon for people to learn regular first aid to prepare them for family medical emergencies such as burns and sprains. The mental health first aid course takes that preparedness to the next level, providing valuable, potentially life-saving information and crisis intervention skills to manage mental health challenges.

A range of mental health issues are covered by the course, including mood, anxiety, trauma-related, psychotic and substance use disorders. The course also teaches first aid skills for dealing with drug overdose, suicidal behaviour, panic attacks, psychosis and acute stress reaction.

The Veteran Family Program supports the health and well-being of families as they transition from military to post-service life. The B.C. Military Resource Centre delivers the program on behalf of VAC and has already undertaken a number of initiatives, including the hiring of a veteran family program coordinator.

Mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression are commonplace in military and post-service life. According to VAC, diagnoses of PTSD among military members have risen a shocking 60 per cent in the last five years.  

VAC says 72 per cent of veterans receiving disability benefits for a mental health condition have PTSD and 58 per cent of those veterans are married or have a common-law partner. Not just the soldier or veteran, but the entire family is affected by mental health issues.

Ultimately, the course enables participants to build the skills and confidence necessary to engage in effective conversations about mental health, help them recognize the most common mental health problems and illnesses, increase their comfort level with, and willingness to, help others and decrease the stigma and discrimination around mental health problems and illnesses.

Tracy Cromwell, BCMFRC executive director
BCMFRC executive director Tracy Cromwell.

“Mental health issues are often met with significant stigma in the world. That’s what’s so great about Mental Health First Aid -- Veteran Community,” said Tracy Cromwell, BCMFRC executive director. “Because the course is about helping others, participants don’t have to worry about standing out as having a problem if they attend. In this way, the course is truly non-threatening for those who’d like to learn more about dealing with these issues.”

Although designed for medically released veterans and their family members, the two-day course is free and open to anyone and grants certification in Mental Health First Aid – Veteran Community to those who complete it. The next course takes place Nov. 1 and 2, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Coast Chilliwack Hotel at 45920 First Ave. Space is limited with priority given to medically released/releasing veterans and families.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Register by Oct. 24 by contacting info@bcmfrc.com. Additional sessions are planned for other B.C. locations in the year ahead.

Canadian Armed Forces families face a unique intersection of challenges, including extended separations from loved ones, frequent relocation and the elevated risk associated with the military member's occupation. The Mainland B.C. Military Family Resource Centre is a registered charitable organization that supports more than 1,600 military and veteran families across the province, offering resources and services to help address these challenges.

sthomas@vancourier.com

@sthomas10