Operational and Trauma Stress Support Centres

What We Do

These centres will provide assistance to serving members of the Canadian Forces and their families dealing with stresses arising from military operations, in particular, UN and NATO deployments abroad. This can cause a myriad of psychological, emotional, spiritual and relationship problems. Because these problems are multi-faceted, there is a need to address them from a holistic approach, with a multi-disciplinary team of caring professionals.

The mandate of these centres will be threefold.

• first, they will be expected to develop and maintain a body of expertise and experience on the management of the types of problems associated with military operations;
• second, they will be expected to share this expertise and experience with care providers at base level through constant liaison and through outreach educational activitie; and
• third, they are to apply this expertise and experience in the management of individual cases referred to them.

As stated earlier, the primary focus of these centres will be those psychological, emotional, spiritual and social problems that arise from military operations. However, on a space-available basis, the centres may treat CF members with psychological, emotional, spiritual and social problems arising from non-operational military duties.