Our approach
Atlas brings Veterans, Families, service providers and research partners together to create, gather and share knowledge on Veteran and Family mental health. Along with engaging the community, Atlas continuously and rigorously reviews current regulations, policies and research to determine areas of work that are most important for Veterans and Families. Our work is guided by several priority areas identified through this approach.
Priority areas
Resources and supports, research and policy change are needed in several key areas, according to research and our conversations with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans, retired or released Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members, and their Families, as well as the people who work with them:
Access and delivery of care
Includes projects, activities and engagements regarding the topic of improving access to appropriate services through enhancing service navigation and policy advocacy. This also includes improving continuity of care by integrating clinical and community support for CAF Veterans, retired or released RCMP members, and their Families.
Related work:
Family needs
Includes projects, activities and engagement specifically focusing on Family members of CAF Veterans and retired or released RCMP.
Related work:
How we define Family members
Atlas defines Veteran Family as parents, siblings, partners/spouses and dependent and adult children, as well as carers (related or not), friends and peers, taking into account who the Veteran identifies as significant to their mental well-being.
Post-service transition, retirement or release
Includes projects, activities and engagements regarding the topic of CAF Veterans, retired or released RCMP members and their Families’ adjustment to post-service life, both directly after leaving service and throughout their lives. It also encompasses work related to access to and benefits for housing programs and income support.
Prevention and support for adverse mental health outcomes
Includes projects, activities and engagements related to both preventing and supporting adverse mental health outcomes associated with CAF and RCMP service. It considers social, economic and environmental influences on mental health and addresses both proactive and responsive strategies.
- Prevention: Focuses on mitigating risks and reducing the likelihood of adverse mental health outcomes before they occur. This includes interventions outside of service pre-release that aim to decrease the severity and prevalence of mental health challenges related to service.
- Support: Addresses how to assist individuals experiencing adverse mental health outcomes such as substance use, moral injury and other service-related challenges. This includes approaches that provide care, treatment and recovery options once these outcomes have manifested.
Related work:
Treatments
Includes projects, activities and engagements focused on the topic of treatment for negative mental health outcomes related to CAF and RCMP service, including in emerging and novel ways.
Related work:
Under-represented populations
Includes projects, activities and engagements regarding the topic of all CAF Veterans, retired or released RCMP members, and their Families that belong to underrepresented populations. This includes but is not limited to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, women, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized groups and other marginalized groups.
