CFMWS recognizes that families play a central role in navigating transition, illness, injury and loss. That’s why our support of military families is focused on those in our military and Veteran family community who are the most vulnerable and adversely impacted by the conditions of military life. It’s for this reason many of our services are centred on and include spouses, partners, children, parents and persons of significance to the member and Veteran.

The Family Information Line (FIL) is a 24/7 service staffed by professional and compassionate counsellors who offer support to CAF members, Veterans and their families. 
Find out more about the support and services FIL provides
 

Contact the Family Information Line

1-800-866-4546 (North America) 
00-800-771-17722 (International) 
FIL international phone numbers
FIL-LIF@cfmws.com

If your CAF family member is preparing to release, a Family Transition Advisor can help your family understand what to expect and connect with the right supports.  
They can help with:

• Understanding how release may affect your family; assessing your strengths and needs to ensure the whole family unit is supported during the transition process
• Identifying needs related to health, finances, housing, employment, and family well-being.   Developing and maintaining a tailored network of community resources, mapping local supports and ensuring families can access the right services at the right time
• Developing a personalized family transition plan to respond to a family’s specific needs and goals, and aligning available supports with the family’s unique circumstances
• Connecting with Military Family Resource Centres, Transition Centres, and community services 
• Referring you to specialized supports, including the Veteran Family Program and Family Liaison Officers 
• Collaborating with Transition Centres and other partners, including CAF, VAC and community organizations, to offer coordinated and comprehensive transition services

FTAs provide short-term transition support and help connect families to ongoing services as needed, up to the date that your member is releasing; however will follow up with the families at 60, 90 days and 18 months.

You can connect with a Family Transition Advisor by:

• Contacting your local Transition Centre:  Find your nearest Transition Centre
• Emailing:  MFSEnhancedTransitions@cfmws.com

Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) provide support to military and Veteran families. MFRCs are located in each of the 32 bases across Canada. Dedicated frontline service providers offer services and resources at the community level and throughout the country.

Find out more by connecting with your local MFRC

The Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group (CAF TG) provides personalized and standardized casualty support, education and services to members and their families to assist in transition. The group gives special attention to ill and injured members, their families and the families of the deceased. 
In addition to the CAF TG headquarters in Ottawa, there are nine regional Transition Units and 26 Transition Centres across the country to serve members and their families. Members of CAF, the Department of National Defence (DND), Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and other partners provide personalized, professional and standardized transition services to all CAF members, Veterans and their families to inform, prepare and empower them as they navigate towards life after service.

Find out more about military career transition
Download My Transition Guide: Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life
Find your closest Transition Centre
Watch the video

The CAF recognizes the contribution of all military families in support of Canada, especially of CAF personnel who have died while serving. The CAF also recognizes that grief is an individual journey. Your needs and those of your family will differ from others and may change over time. That’s why as long as you and your family need support, CAF will be there to assist. While access to some services may depend on your relationship to the deceased, wide-ranging support to assist your unique situation is available to you regardless of the circumstances of death.  
Because the administrative and organizational structure of the CAF can be complex and confusing, more so if you are trying to navigate the system after the death of a loved one, several organizations work together seamlessly to ensure you and your family get the support, information and services you need, when you need them.

Find out more

It is difficult to imagine the magnitude of pain associated with the loss of a loved one. The HOPE Program offers continuous peer support, education on grief as well as coping strategies to help bereaved CAF members and military families better understand the grieving process.
The HOPE Program volunteers have experienced the loss of a loved one and understand what you are going through. They are there to lend a listening non-judgmental ear, share their lived experience, help members and families navigate their grief journey, and help ease the isolation experienced after loss.

Veteran Family Program (VFP) Coordinators are specialized professionals located in some Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) across Canada, who support medically releasing CAF members, medically released Veterans, and their families.
The VFP Coordinators facilitate the transition to civilian life by providing personalized, one-on-one navigation, case management and referrals to community services. Their key responsibilities and services include:

• Identifying family needs, risks and complexities to create tailored transition plans
• Helping families navigate civilian health care, mental health systems and employment services
• Providing information, referrals and access to intervention support services
• Offering transition programs, workshops, and short-term counseling

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), in their leadership role in the care and support of Veterans and their families, has a host of targeted services and benefits for families and caregivers of former CAF members to help improve their well-being, including their physical health, mental health and financial health.

Consult this transition tool to pick your path and find out what services, resources and benefits are available to you and your family.

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A national mental health service provider dedicated to serving trauma exposed professionals including Veterans, as well as their families. Following are two of their programs:

Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday (COPE) is a couples-based trauma program to help couples deal with and heal from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Learn coping skills and insights to help manage living with PTSD. 

Find out more
Watch the video

The Spousal Resiliency Program (SRP) is designed to bring together spouses of Veterans who are struggling with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Learn coping skills and insights to help manage living with a partner with PTSD.

Find out more
Watch the video

As a caregiver of a Veteran or medically released CAF member living with an operational stress injury (OSI), there may be significant challenges in supporting a loved one while managing other responsibilities. This resource provides OSI education as well as self-care tools to support the caregiver role. 

Watch the video

This program addresses mental health challenges that Veterans and their families may face. It provides families and communities with practical tools to strengthen support networks and help Veterans feel heard and supported.

Find out more

Keeping your life in balance is essential if you want to take care of others. There are many supports for families and caregivers who may be dealing with the effects of an OSI. Families and caregivers may also be eligible for certain benefits.

If you, as a family member or caregiver, are experiencing the effects of an OSI, the services listed at the following link can be helpful.

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This program is a national peer support network for CAF members, Veterans and their families experiencing an OSI. It connects you with a supportive community of people with similar experiences, help to set goals and provides effective resources.

1-800-883-6094
OSISS-SSBSO@forces.gc.ca
Find out more

MindKit is a website for young family members of Veterans living with post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). It’s a place for youth to find information on mental health and the brain, what it’s like to live with PTSI in your family and ways to handle challenges.

Find out more