Euthanasia offer calls into question VA's mental health support: Advocate

Canadian veterans and their advocates believe thatveterans were provided with dying medical assistance by employees of the Canadian Veterans Affairs (VAC) Regarding the case, he said: A survey of the agency's ability to address the mental health of ex-combatants.

Veterans should provide appropriate care, as many soldiers who have served in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have suffered traumatic brain injuries that can lead to suicidal ideation. Says the need is more important than ever.

"(I fear) that someone under the razor's edge may be pushed in the wrong direction or adversely affected by offers such as dying medical assistance." There is," said the retired sergeant. Tobias Miller injured while on duty in Afghanistan.

"When we have to battle our brains every day with things we don't want to hear, what about departments whose only job is to care for us and help us heal?" Intervene…make an offering where you can watch veterans hurt themselves.”

READ MORE: VA says workers "unsuitable"

A source told Global News that a VAC service agent brought up Medical Assistance in Death (MAID) in a conversation with a veteran who was seeking post-traumatic care. Stress Disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury. Global News did not identify the veterans who sought treatment.

However, multiple sources told Global News that the veterans had not raised the issue. The sources and the VAC told Global News that a discussion had taken place and that the VAC was investigating the incident. Did.

According to sources close to the veterans, he and his family are fed up with the conversation and feel betrayed by the department empowered to help veterans. and the veteran was seeking services to recover from injuries sustained on the job and was experiencing positive improvements in mental and physical health.

Mental to Veteran "It's completely wrong," said Scott Maxwell, executive director of Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization focused on providing health services. The debate and its impact show how vulnerable mental health care is, especially for ex-combatants.

"He only has one chance," he told his Global News. “Every conversation is important. Retreat conversations to avoid receiving further care or feeling comfortable reaching out and accessing independent support.

Post-traumatic stress and other mental health effects have always been side effects of military service, while traumatic brain injury The high use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including roadside bombs, which have been called 'characteristic injuries' to military personnel, has sparked conflict.

The number of soldiers with traumatic brain injuries is not routinely tracked, but a 2010 military report found that about 6% of Canadians who served in the Middle East early in the conflict were injured. did.

A year later, theGlobe and Mail reported on the defense investigation. The study found that Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan were almost three times as likely as Americans to be hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries between his 2006 and his 2009 years. I used to fight there.

Roadside Bomb Trauma Suffering from PTSD in a brain-damaged Miller Afghanistan, he wanted to turn negative and even suicidal 'voices' into individuals in his head before learning how to 'fight that voice and ignore it'. He says that he has a direct experience of hearing it.

People without these coping mechanisms may be more susceptible to suggestions such as euthanasia, he said. added. Created by VAC workers.

"One of his thoughts in my thought process was that the department is out of touch with modern veterans," he said.

``I am concerned, and most of us [veterans] are concerned that this may have been done by someone else. Is there anyone else who has done so?”

The Department does not count the number of times assisted death has been provided to veterans through this particular VAC employee or other employees of the Veterans Administration, or such Did not respond to Global News' questions about the guidance given to employees about providing advice.

READ MORE: Former case manager says high workload hurts Canadian veterans

VAC told Global News that medical assistance in the event of death "is not a VAC service," and that employees are under no obligation to make such recommendations to clients.

However, after the veteran's decision to pursue assisted death with the primary health care provider for whom the veteran is legally responsible, the department has offered assistance to veteran clients and their families. to make such recommendations.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence Macaulay said in a statement released Tuesday following the Global News report: said it had asked Deputy Minister Paul Ledwell, who is directly overseeing it. Department — "to make sure this never happens again."

"What happened to this veteran is totally unacceptable," he said, adding that "it should never have happened."

Macaulay said he is confident "appropriate administrative action will be taken," but did not elaborate on what that might mean. We will not discuss the details of the consequences you may face due to privacy concerns.

Wounded Warrior Canada's Maxwell said VAC employees need better training to help veterans navigate mental health issues as they transition into civilian life. says there is.

He now realizes that this one veteran's experience of his has made others eligible for the department. We are concerned that it may discourage us from seeking certain benefits.

"It's devastating. It's unacceptable," he said.

READ MORE: Congressional committee calls for 'clear guidelines' in euthanasia interim report

For his part, Miller says more transparency is needed to mend the relationship between the VAC and veterans.

"It has been a year for him since the fall of Kabul," he said. “There is a lot of raw, raw emotion going on in the veterans community right now. Many veterans are questioning whether their sacrifices and blood and treasures are worth it.

"Having a ministry responsible for [caring for veterans] means it's not worth saying 'I might be able to help you're not here'.

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