$300,000 Being Contributed to Trauma Support Project

This is a general broadcast to all members of the Association

Dear Association Members,

The Chair of the RCMP Veteran Women’s Council, Jane Hall has drawn our attention to a most remarkable and generous donation from the Royal Canadian Legion to Project Trauma Support which provides treatment to both CAF and RCMP members.  Jane observes that:

“I am so pleased to announce that we had Tom Irvine, Steven Clark and Raymond McInnis from the Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, joining us for lunch. Today the Canadian Legion donated Project Trauma Support $100,000 per year for 3 years. This will allow us to bring active duty and veteran military members and RCMP through our program. Happy and Grateful.”

Project trauma support is a one week sex specific residential program for ptsd.. but specifically designed to address moral injury. 

The Project itself provides the following profile:

One testimonial from a member of the Force reads,

“I came away feeling that something had fundamentally changed in me and the way I would deal with my PTS. Not only have I noticed a difference in the way I now live my life, others around me have noticed as well. I only wish I could have had this 14 years ago.”
~An RCMP Officer

“There is much in the news these days about military personnel and first responders with PTSD.  The management of operational stress injuries, critical incident stress and the symptoms and effects of these are becoming increasing concerns. Our new Liberal government pledged more funds for treatment and research as part of their election platform. Key public figures such as Lt. Gov. Romeo Dallaire have spoken openly about their struggles with PTSD. There are so many more however, who may not make the papers, those who quietly give up their struggle through suicide“. 

The details of the donation follow.

James Forrest
Director of Communications
RCMP Veterans’ Association

Legion Helps Program Tackling PTSD and Moral Injury

OTTAWA, July 22, 2019 – The Royal Canadian Legion is proud to announce its support for a national initiative that helps military veterans and RCMP officers cope with operational stress injuries. Called “Project Trauma Support,” the program is based in Perth, ON, and designed for those living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, including Moral Injury.

“This is an amazing initiative that is demonstrating some pretty incredible outcomes,” says Thomas D. Irvine, Dominion President. “We want to support additional veteran and RCMP officer participation, and  research to learn more about how and why the program works – including whether it can help prevent medical discharge in serving members,” he explains.

Irvine recently presented Project Trauma Support (PTS) with the first of three $100,000 donations to help the organization conduct its therapeutic program, which focuses on both PTSD and Moral Injury.

Program leaders say Moral Injury is a new consideration in mainstream medicine and psychiatry, but has a significant role to play in those who develop operational stress injuries. “Our Project Trauma Support family is very grateful to The Royal Canadian Legion for this very generous financial support,” says PTS Director, Dr. Manuela Joannou. “These funds will allow us to offer help to more military and RCMP members and veterans who have sustained psychological injuries in the line of duty. This support will allow our network of PTS alumni across Canada to continue to grow and we look forward to seeing more peer support groups developing.”Project Trauma Support includes follow-up care, and an invitation to join local peer support groups, which the program participants and volunteers are developing on an ongoing basis.

“In less than three years, a small cadre of medical professionals and peer support volunteers has taken an idea and made it a reality,” says Joannou.

Testimonials from many participants to date, reflect how much their lives have changed positively as a result of the program. Ultimately, PTS leaders hope the project will be seen as a provider of effective therapy covered by medical insurance, eliminating the additional stress of participants having to figure out how their participation in the therapy program will be funded.

Over 250 men and women from across the country have completed the PTS program to date, and over half of those participants were military members or veterans.