24-Hour Toll-Free Crisis Help Line
Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service
Call our Assistance Service Operators at:
- 1-800-268-7708
- TDD 1-800-567-5803
- Your Quality of Life is Important!
- Marital and Family Problems
- Transitional Problems
- Emotional and Psychological
- Substance Abuse
- Financial Difficulties
- Other Personal Problems
- Work-Related
- Personal Decision
- When you meet with a Counsellor
- Specialists
- Confidentiality
- Questions with Answers
- 24-Hour Service
Your Quality of Life is Important!
Obviously, you wish to have the best quality of life you possibly can have. However, a variety of problems can arise which can disrupt your life. These problems, whether they are personal or professional, can affect your well-being as well as the quality of your life.
In this case, a valuable resource is available to you: Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Assistance Service. Many former CF members, former RCMP members, War Veterans and their families have already called upon the VAC Assistance Service for help. They have benefited from qualified and confidential support.
The VAC Assistance Service is there to help you!
Look into the mirror. Do you recognize yourself?
- You are facing a transition
- You are depressed
- You have trouble falling asleep
- You are having nightmares
- Your personal problems are affecting your performance
- You are feeling tired
- You are often aggressive
- You have problems concentrating
- You bring your problems home from work
Are you experiencing a similar situation? A call to a counsellor of the VAC Assistance Service could help you change the situation.
What Kind of Problems?
The VAC Assistance Service has been developed to assist you in overcoming almost every problem that can affect your personal or professional life.
Marital and Family Problems
Are you experiencing difficulties in your relationship with your spouse or with your children? Well, you are not alone. Nearly 50 per cent of all people who seek help from assistance programs have marital and family problems.
A few examples:
- divorce or separation
- problems caused by post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological conditions
- children's education
- family violence
- children and drugs
- abuse
Many people are reluctant to discuss their family problems. However, a counsellor from the VAC Assistance Service could help you find an appropriate solution for your situation in complete confidentiality.
Transitional Problems
Problems experienced as a result of a major change of life or career can lead to more serious and sometimes chronic problems. It is very stressful to make the transition to civilian life. Saying good bye, not only to a career but also to a way of life can be difficult. If you are in this situation, the VAC Assistance Service can help you deal with and resolve problems arising from your transition before they expand into more serious ones.
Emotional and Psychological Problems
You will encounter many events in your life that will affect you emotionally and psychologically. Some people who have served in the military suffer trauma as a result of operational deployments, whether at home in Canada or abroad during overseas postings. Other traumatic events - such as the death of a loved one, depression, or recovering from physical or psychological abuse - can have a negative impact on the quality of your life, your relationships or your ability to perform your job.
Substance Abuse
Alcohol, tobacco, prescription or other drugs create problems that can be costly in both monetary value and in quality of life. Substance abuse can have negative consequences for many aspects of an individual's personal life. It can also undermine the safety and the quality of your work, whether at home or in the workplace.
Financial Difficulties
Are you having trouble making ends meet? Is your mortgage overdue? Are you facing personal bankruptcy? Financial problems can take up a lot of your time and energy. VAC Assistance Service can put you in contact with a financial advisor who can provide you with indispensable advice.
Other Types of Personal Problems
The VAC Assistance Service can help you address other types of problems:
- interpersonal conflicts
- legal difficulties
- gambling problems, etc.
The first step to solving a problem is admitting that you have one.
Work-Related Problems
Many CF members, former RCMP members, and War Veterans begin a civilian career upon release. Some clients have work-related problems and turn to the VAC Assistance Service for help.
The most common situations experienced are:
- organizational changes
- stress or burn-out
- new responsibilities
- difficult interpersonal relationships
- job insecurity, potential loss of job or retirement
- conflicts with a superior
- harassment
- abuse of power
- discrimination
It's Up to You to Decide Whether You Need Help or Not
No one is obliged to seek help from the VAC Assistance Service. However, the support that the program offers can help you improve your personal situation.
A Personal Decision
If you decide you need help from the VAC Assistance Service, call to discuss your personal situation or to make an appointment (1-800-268-7708 and (TTD/TTY 1-800-567-5803)
A Suggestion From a Friend or From Your Family
Those who love you are concerned with your physical health as well as your psychological well-being. They may encourage you to take advantage of the VAC Assistance Service.
When you Meet with A Counsellor . . .
You have decided to contact the VAC Assistance Service. Here is how your meeting will proceed:
- Identification of the Problem
Your counsellor will help you clearly define your problem. - Using Available Resources
If necessary, your counsellor will put you in contact with specialized services in your area. - Follow-up Services
The professionals and the resources which contribute to the VAC Assistance Service will work together to establish a personal action plan that will help you resolve your problem. You may also be referred to the nearest VAC District Office for information on other benefits and services
If the circumstance are severe, or in cases of immediate danger, the counsellor has received the appropriate professional training to make the necessary crisis intervention.
Specialists from Various Backgrounds
A counsellor from the VAC Assistance Service can put you in contact with a wide variety of organizations and professionals:
- family service agencies
- social services
- marriage counsellors
- substance abuse intervention programs
- support groups (eg: Alcoholics Anonymous)
- medical doctors
- psychologists
- psychotherapists and counsellors
- community mental health centres
- career counsellors
- lawyers and legal aid
- financial counsellors and credit counselling bureau
- social workers
- clergy
- Veterans Affairs Canada District Office
And it's Confidential!
The success of the VAC Assistance Service depends on confidentiality! Everything you discuss with your counsellor is confidential. He/she must uphold a professional code that protects confidentiality.
Furthermore, even if you seek help from the VAC Assistance Service upon a referral, the person who made the referral will not have access to your private information unless you provide written authorization.
And it's Free!
Veterans Affairs Canada pays for the cost of this program.
If you or a family member require services that are more specialized or for an extended period of time, the counsellor will direct you or a family member toward the appropriate professional help. These specialized services may incur an expense, however, the counsellor will make every effort to direct you or the family member to free or affordable services.
Questions . . . with Answers
What right does Veterans Affairs Canada have to interfere in my personal life?
Your personal life is yours. However, certain personal problems can have serious consequences on your quality of life, your safety or even your productivity. VAC has made this Assistance Service available to enable you to access professional counselling. Your participation, however, remains voluntary.
Is It Therapy?
No! The intervention is short-term and, in many cases, only a few sessions are necessary. When long-term assistance or more specialized help is required, a referral can be made to an appropriate resource such as the closest VAC District Office, with your consent.
24-Hour Service 1-800-268-7708
It's midnight. You feel the need to talk to someone. You cannot wait until the morning. The 1-800 number allows you to speak to someone immediately in total confidentiality. This service is free and available day and night, 365 days a year, anywhere in Canada.
- The telephone counsellors can answer any questions you may have concerning the VAC Assistance Service
- If you wish to meet with a counsellor, they can provide you with the name of the counsellor who will contact you.
- The counsellor will call you within 48 hours to set up an appointment to meet with you within the following week.
This toll-free number is not an emergency service. But it will allow you to speak immediately to someone who knows how to listen.
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)
A special service is available for hearing-impaired callers. Anyone having access to Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) is now able to reach our telephone counsellors.
The telephone number to contact the TDD is 1-800-567-5803.
A Program that Benefits Everyone
Personal problems or work-related stress can affect your quality of life.When your personal problems impact your home life, you jeopardize your well-being as well as your family's. The VAC Assistance Service can help you bring light back into your life. By establishing such a program, Veterans Affairs Canada is aiming to improve your well-being.
Call us for a confidential talk. If we can't help, we know someone who can.
Call our Assistance Service Operators at:
Call our Assistance Service Operators at:
- 1-800-268-7708
- TDD 1-800-567-5803
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