3.37

National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces should take further steps to accelerate the transfer of service and medical records to Veterans Affairs Canada.

Agreed. The Canadian Forces Health Services Group and Veterans Affairs Canada are dedicated to jointly seeking continuous improvement in the transfer of files between the two departments. Together, the Canadian Forces Health Services Group and Veterans Affairs Canada have doubled the number of people dedicated directly to the file transfer endeavour (the team will grow from the original 10 reservists to a joint reservist/temporary help team of 20 by the end of October 2014), while at the same time exploring options with Public Works and Government Services Canada to further accelerate the process through contracted solutions.

The expected result is that the file transfer process is as expeditious and seamless as possible in order to ensure that the best interests of our soldiers are served.

There is no definable end-date as the process will continue to evolve and adjust to the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada and the soldiers whom we serve.

In late October 2014 the Canadian Forces Health Services Group hired an additional 6 personnel to address the backlog in files due to Veterans Affairs Canada.  Since that time the backlog has decreased by 15% and continues to decrease on a daily basis.

Canadian Forces Health Services Group

3.43

National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces should work with the Operational and Trauma Stress Support Centres to implement solutions to provide timely access for psychological and psychiatric assessments.

Agreed. National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces will continue to track the wait times on a monthly basis and determine the factors contributing to wait times beyond the established benchmark. Staffing levels and business processes will be examined and adjustments made as required. The use of telehealth will also be explored as a way for clinics that are not as busy to help those experiencing higher demands.

All psychological and psychiatric assessments at the operational trauma social support centres will commence by or before the established benchmark.

Implement a national telemental (video conference) capability.

Increase of clinical mental health professionals, managerial and administrative support personnel.

Sept 2015

May 2015

May 2015

FY 2015/16

Completed

Aug 2014

December 8, 2014 – National Mental Health Teleconference to solicit preliminary feedback from the Mental Health Clinics regarding workload management challenges.

Early Spring 2015 – arrival of Mental Health Quality and Patient Safety Officer at the Directorate of Mental Health, who will co-ordinate performance measurement and wait time measurement initiatives for the Mental Health clinics. Additionally, the development of a performance measurement logic model at the operational trauma social support centres will be completed.

May 2015 – National Mental Health conference to continue discussion of workload management challenges and propose/introduce solutions.

Telemental health using video conferencing technology is particularly suited to the use of advanced communication technologies for delivery of care. By using advanced secure (encrypted) communication technologies, mental health professionals are able to widen their reach to patients in a cost-effective manner.

Canadian Forces Health Services implementation strategy is to install the capability in all mental health / psych social and operational trauma social support centres.

Canadian Forces Health Services have installed systems in the following locations: Esquimalt, Comox, Vancouver, Edmonton, Wainright, Calgary, Suffield, Yellowknife, Petawawa, Ottawa, Borden, Toronto, Trenton, St Jean, Bagotville, Halifax, Gander and Goose Bay. 

Canadian Forces Health Services was provided authority to hire 54 full time equivalent clinical, managerial and administrative public servants to fill various mental health positions across the Canadian Forces Health Services matrix. Canadian Forces Health Services successfully recruited:

- 22 social workers,

- 4 psychologists,

- 8 addiction counsellors,

- 5 mental health nurses,

- 11 mental health clerks and

- 4 managerial / administrative support personnel.

Canadian Forces Health Services Group – Directorate of Mental Health