Mental Health Support for Veterans: Alberta Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)

If you served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and you’re living in Alberta, your main source of mental health support for anything connected to your service is Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), not the provincial Workers’ Compensation Board. WCB only comes into the picture if you’re injured in a civilian job after you leave the military. This guide focuses on how VAC mental health support works, how to apply and what’s covered, with a short section at the end on where WCB fits for veterans who now work as first responders.

Programs and rules change, so confirm the details for your situation directly with VAC.

Need to talk to someone now? The VAC Assistance Service is free, confidential and available 24/7 at 1-800-268-7708. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.

VAC or WCB — Which One Applies to You?

The simplest way to sort it out is to ask where the injury came from.

• Your condition is related to your military service. That’s VAC. PTSD, depression, anxiety and other conditions linked to deployments, training, military sexual trauma or other service experiences go through VAC disability benefits.
• Your condition comes from a civilian job in Alberta. That’s WCB-Alberta. If you became a firefighter, paramedic, police officer or correctional officer after your service and were injured on that job, you’d file with WCB.
• Both may be part of your story. Many veterans carry service-related trauma and then add civilian trauma on top of it. VAC and WCB are separate systems, so you may need to deal with both. Be open with each about your full history, and talk to them about how your benefits fit together.

How VAC Mental Health Support Works

Disability benefits for service-related conditions

If you have a diagnosed mental health condition related to your service, you can apply to VAC for a disability benefit. VAC looks at your diagnosis and how it connects to your service. If your claim is approved, it can lead to financial compensation and coverage for ongoing treatment of that condition.

Treatment coverage

For an approved condition, VAC covers mental health treatment such as sessions with a registered psychologist or other approved provider, psychiatric care and related prescription medication. VAC health benefits are administered by Medavie Blue Cross, so make sure your provider can bill them directly before you start.

Mental health benefits while you wait

Waiting months for a decision on a disability claim can feel impossible when you’re struggling. Since April 2022, VAC has offered mental health benefits to veterans who apply for disability benefits for certain mental health conditions, so you can start treatment while your claim is being decided. Ask VAC whether your application qualifies and how long the coverage lasts.

Operational Stress Injury clinics

VAC funds a national network of Operational Stress Injury (OSI) clinics that specialize in assessing and treating veterans, CAF members and RCMP members. Teams usually include psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers who understand military culture. Ask VAC or your case manager about a referral.

How to Apply to VAC — Step by Step

Step 1 — Get assessed. See a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist for an assessment and diagnosis. Tell them about your service and the experiences you believe are connected to your symptoms.

Step 2 — Gather your records. VAC will look at your service records and medical records. Personal statements help too, including your own account and statements from people who served with you or family members who saw changes in you.

Step 3 — Apply. You can apply online through My VAC Account, by mail or with help from a VAC office. Clearly explain how your condition connects to your service. The more specific you are, the easier it is for VAC to make a decision.

Step 4 — Ask about interim mental health benefits. If you’re applying for a qualifying mental health condition, ask about coverage for treatment while you wait.

Step 5 — Start treatment with a provider who fits. Look for a therapist who understands military experience and can bill Medavie Blue Cross.

Step 6 — If you disagree with a decision, ask for a review. VAC decisions can be reviewed, and the Bureau of Pensions Advocates offers free legal help to veterans challenging disability decisions. Veterans’ organizations such as the Royal Canadian Legion also have service officers who help with claims.

What Kind of Therapy Can Help

Evidence-based treatments for service-related PTSD, depression and anxiety include:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE), two of the best-studied therapies for PTSD
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression, anxiety and sleep problems
• Couples and family therapy, because service-related injuries often affect the whole household

Moral injury, the deep guilt or betrayal that can follow events that clash with your values, is also something a trained therapist can help with. It doesn’t always fit neatly into a PTSD diagnosis, so look for someone who understands it.

Your family matters too. Partners and spouses carry a lot. Our guide for partners and spouses of Canadian veterans covers what they can do and where they can get support.

Common Frustrations With the System

Many veterans find the VAC process slow and confusing, and that frustration is real. A few things help:

• Apply early. Don’t wait until things fall apart. Applying sooner means support arrives sooner.
• Keep copies of everything. Keep track of your applications, letters and who you spoke to.
• Get help with the paperwork. Legion service officers, the Bureau of Pensions Advocates and veteran peer groups all help people through claims.
• Don’t let a “no” end it. Decisions can be reviewed and appealed.

Veterans Working as First Responders in Alberta

Lots of veterans move into firefighting, paramedicine, policing or corrections after their service. If you’re injured in one of those civilian roles, that injury is a WCB-Alberta matter. If you’re diagnosed with PTSD after a traumatic event in a covered first responder role, Alberta’s PTSD presumption means WCB presumes it’s work-related unless there’s evidence otherwise.

Your service history doesn’t stop you from making a WCB claim. Just be honest with your providers and WCB about your full history. For a full walkthrough of the presumption and how to file, see our guide to Alberta WCB for first responders.

Next Steps

Whether your injury came from the military, a civilian first responder job or both, you deserve care from someone who understands. Learn about our therapy for CAF members and veterans, or contact Responders First to talk through your options.

Don Davis

15+ years of emergency response experience. Passionate about connecting our first responder communities with critical resources. Author of hundreds of articles and guides on First Responders mental health care. When not responding to emergencies, you can find me playing with my dogs, hiking, or enjoying a good book.