Deer Lodge Centre celebrates 20 years of treating military and RCMP officers

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Peggy

Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
Published Thursday, October 24, 2024

The Operational Stress Injury (OSI) clinic at Deer Lodge Centre is marking a milestone of 20 years of providing specialized outpatient mental health treatment to veterans, Canadian Forces members and active and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut.

First opened in 2004, the OSI clinic specifically treats members that have experienced an operational stress injury, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which resulted from operational duties performed while serving as a member of the Canadian Forces or Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“There are many experiences within military and policing services that can result in operational stress injuries, such as active combat, training accidents and witnessing traumatic events or natural disasters,” says Chris Zegalski, Director of Health Services, OSI clinic at Deer Lodge Centre. “Our goal is to help these members improve their quality of life through treatment and a better understanding of the impact of severe life events.”

In 2023, the clinic treated more than 7-hundred clients, with more than 8-thousand appointments while receiving over 260 new referrals.

“After having served in the military and public service with the Department of National Defence for a total of 53 years, it took a long time to realize how much I was suffering,” says Frank Emond, former Operational Stress Injury clinic client. “The pride I lived with throughout my career prevented me to come forward. If it had not been for other people telling me to go to the OSI clinic, I don’t know what I would have done. The OSI clinic changed my life. They put an extinguisher on my difficult experiences and paved the way to my recovery.”

Interdisciplinary treatment teams at the clinic consist of psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health therapists, nurse therapists and occupational therapists. They work together to provide highly-specialized evidence-based treatment. The team also works closely with health care providers or organizations in the community to help ensure follow-up is available after treatment.

“Through our network of OSI clinics across Canada, we provide specialized mental health services to Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, active and former Royal Canadian Mounted Police members, and their families,” says Dr. Cyd Courchesne, Director General of Health Professionals and Chief Medical Officer, Veterans Affairs Canada. “In doing so, we help to ensure that those who have served our country get the support they deserve. We join the Deer Lodge Centre in celebration of this milestone. The work and compassionate care of the Deer Lodge team has made a difference in the lives of those they care for in Manitoba.”

The Operational Stress Injury clinic is located at Deer Lodge Centre due to its historic and ongoing ties to veterans. It is fully funded by Veterans Affairs Canada. The OSI Clinic is operated by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and is one of 21 service sites funded by Veterans Affairs across Canada.

For more information, please contact WRHA communications: [email protected]