# Follow Up to 2002 Mental Health Survey



## dapaterson (21 Dec 2017)

DND/CAF and VAC are conducting a follow-up to their 2002 survey on mental health.  If you completed that survey 15 eyars ago, you may be contacted for follow up, per the CANFORGEN below.


CANFORGEN 227 CMP 120/17
SIC WAC
BILINGUAL MESSAGE/MESSAGE BILINGUE
SUBJ:CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MEMBERS AND VETERANS MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOW UP SURVEY (CAFVMHS)
REFS: A. THE CANADIAN FORCES 2002 SUPPLEMENT OF THE STATISTICS CANADA CANADIAN COMMUNITY HEALTH SURVEY
B. CANADIAN FORCES MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY
C. LIFE AFTER SERVICE SURVEY
D. SURVEY ON TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE
E. WWW.STATCAN.GC.CA/CAFVMHS  (ENGLISH) WWW.STATCAN.GC.CA/ESSMFACM (FRANCAIS)

1. THE MENTAL HEALTH OF CURRENT AND FORMER CAF PERSONNEL IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, THE MINISTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

2. THE MENTAL HEALTH OF SERVING CAF PERSONNEL WAS ASSESSED BY STATISTICS CANADA IN SURVEYS CONDUCTED IN 2002 AND 2013 (REF A AND B). STATISTICS CANADA ALSO COMPLETED SEVERAL LARGE HEALTH SURVEYS OF VETERANS (REF C AND D). THESE SURVEYS HAVE PROVIDED CRUCIAL SNAPSHOTS OF THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION OF SERVING PERSONNEL AND 
VETERANS THAT CONTINUE TO INFORM CHANGES IN MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

3. HOWEVER, THESE PAST SURVEYS COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW AN INDIVIDUAL CAF MEMBER S MENTAL HEALTH HAS CHANGED OVER TIME OR HOW SUCH CHANGES RELATE TO THEIR EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS DEPLOYMENTS, TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE, AND THE USE OF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

4. TO ADDRESS THIS LIMITATION, STATISTICS CANADA WILL CONDUCT A NATIONAL FOLLOW-UP SURVEY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH OF SERVING MEMBERS AND VETERANS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE 2002 SURVEY (REF A). THE SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN-PERSON WITH A STATISTICS CANADA INTERVIEWER. ONLY MEMBERS SERVING IN THE REGULAR FORCES IN 2002 AND WHO PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN THE 2002 CCHS-CF WILL BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE

5. STATISTICS CANADA HAS RECEIVED BOTH WORK AND HOME CONTACT DETAILS OF POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF THE STATISTICS ACT. STATISTICS CANADA WILL SEND AN INVITATION LETTER TO THEIR HOME ADDRESS AND WILL SUBSEQUENTLY TELEPHONE INDIVIDUALS AT HOME AND/OR AT WORK ASKING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS VOLUNTARY SURVEY. THIS SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATISTICS ACT, WHICH ENSURES THAT ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO STATISTICS CANADA WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL

6. SURVEY INTERVIEWS WILL OCCUR FROM JANUARY TO MAY 2018. INTERVIEWS WILL PRIMARILY TAKE PLACE IN THE RESPONDENT S HOME. RESPONDENTS MAY ALSO CHOOSE TO HAVE THE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED IN THEIR WORKPLACE, IN WHICH CASE RESPONDENTS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING A PRIVATE ROOM FOR THE INTERVIEW AND FOR ESCORTING INTERVIEWERS AS NEEDED

7. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY ARE EXPECTED IN THE SPRING OF 2019. SURVEY FINDINGS WILL BE USED BY THE CAF, VETERANS AFFAIRS CANADA, AND OTHERS TO STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THIS SURVEY IS THUS ANOTHER ESSENTIAL STEP TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THOSE WHO SERVE CANADA. I THEREFORE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE CAF PERSONNEL INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT SURVEY TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TO RESPOND TO THE INTERVIEWERS IN THE MOST HONEST AND ACCURATE MANNER POSSIBLE

8. PERSONNEL AT ALL LEVELS ARE TO FACILITATE THE CONDUCT OF THE SURVEY BY ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION, BY ASSISTING IN CONTACT TRACING OF SERVING PERSONNEL AS NEEDED, AND BY PROVIDING RELEASE TIME FOR COMPLETION OF THE SURVEY

9.  CLASS A RESERVISTS WILL BE PROVIDED COMPENSATION PAY FROM THE CAF FOR THE TIME TAKEN TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY. A TIME SHEET WITH THE SURVEYS FINANCIAL CODE WILL BE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS BY INTERVIEWERS

10. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SURVEY, VISIT THE WEBSITE AT WWW.STATCAN.GC.CA/CAFVMHS (ENGLISH) WWW.STATCAN.GC.CA/ESSMFACM (FRANCAIS)

11. INQUIRIES MAY BE DIRECTED TO SLT P.J.H. BELIVEAU VIA EMAIL AT PETER.BELIVEAU(AT SIGN)FORCES.GC.CA, COMM (613) 901-9626, CSN 225-9626, OR B.G. GARBER VIA EMAIL AT BRYAN.GARBER(AT SIGN)FORCES.GC.CA, COMM (613) 901-9594, CSN 225-9594

END OF ENGLISH TEXT


----------

