Operational Stress Injury Clinic celebrates 20 years of supporting military and RCMP
Posted October 24, 2024 9:12 pm.
The Operational Stress Injury Clinic marks 20 years of treating military and RCMP officers.
After serving in the military and public service with the Department of National Defense for 53 years, retired chief warrant officer Frank Emond, reflects on the impact the Operational Stress Injury Clinic has had on his life.
“With all of the experience that I got of referring people to the clinic, I was one that should have been referred to the clinic a long time ago,” said Frank Emond, CD, MMM – Retired Chief Warrant Officer.
“3 years ago I broke down and I sought assistance from the clinic and I got it, and today I’m here to tell the people that this clinic is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to members of the Canadian forces,” said Emond.
The OSI Clinic at Deer Lodge Centre is celebrating 20 years of providing specialized outpatient mental health treatment to military and RCMP officers, and in the past year alone they’ve treated more than 7-hundred clients with more than 8-thousand appointments.
“It takes strength to actually ask for help so I see it as actually very commendable that people actually are willing to actually get help because so many suffer in silence,” said Chris Zegalski, Director of Health Services at Operational Stress Injury Clinic.
Zegalski says he’s very proud of the work the team at the OSI clinic has done over the past 20 years, and is excited for what the future holds.
“It’s never too late to come and ask for help some people think oh it’s been too long it probably wont have any effect, but no it does we know and we have results to support that,” said Dr. Cyd Courchesne, Chief Medical Officer for Veterans Affairs Canada.
“The changes that have happened have been monumental in their lives, it’s literally life changing, they’ve given so much for us our country, you know they deserve to have excellent care, which is what we try to accomplish,” said Zegalski
