Veterans, especially those with service-related injuries, can face a host of unique health challenges. A major challenge for Veterans is chronic pain. Recent Government of Canada research found that Veterans are twice as likely to suffer from chronic pain compared to others in the Canadian population. That is why Veterans Affairs Canada funded the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) as a research centre to investigate the problem.

Our goal is to improve the well-being of Veterans and their families by funding research to inform evidence-based chronic pain care and to foster a national network of interdisciplinary pain management centres. We are committed to ensuring that Veterans play a key role in all aspects of the CPCoE. The Advisory Council for Veterans provides input on research activities based on priorities drawn from Veterans across the country. Veteran support has been critical thus far and we continue to build on the strong foundation established. It is an organizational principle that Veterans function as partners with the CPCoE.

Groundbreaking research projects are currently underway, including chronic pain in children of Veterans and sex and gender differences in chronic pain. Future research projects will be emerging later this year that will let us move closer to our goal. We aim to keep hope alive for Veterans and their families by focusing on Veteran-first chronic pain research.

Military and RCMP Veterans and their Families, who have often sacrificed a great deal as part of their service, deserve access to the best possible support and care. Despite patches of good services and supports for Veterans and their Families, the current system is often difficult to access and navigate.

The Centre of Excellence on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CoE - PTSD) and Related Mental Health Conditions was established in 2019 as an intermediary organization hosted within The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group and funded by Veterans Affairs Canada to improve these system challenges. The CoE – PTSD is working to achieve its mandate by filling critical research gaps; translating existing knowledge into easily accessible resources; supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices in service provision; and building strong community networks to reduce silos, improve information-sharing and promote collaboration.

The CoE-PTSD functions as a “Network of Networks” which values lived experience equally with technical expertise. The CoE-PTSD is advised by an Advisory Committee of representatives from our four reference groups made up of Veterans, Veteran Family Members, service providers, and researchers.

Together, we are grounding the work of the Centre in our vision for an improved system based on the following eight principles:

• Trusted authentic relationships
• Military/RCMP Veteran cultural competence
• Families as clients in tandem with, and separate from, Veterans
• Evidence-based trauma informed policies, practices and supports
• Supports, benefits and services that are opt-out and not opt-in
• Care and support is individualized and person-centred
• Care and support transcends diagnosis
• Peer support is key