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<\/p>\nAmanda Anderson\u2019s husband, Cpl. Jordan Anderson was among six soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in 2007 in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
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From that moment on, Anderson\u2019s life changed forever.<\/p>\n
Sitting in her living room, almost 20 years later, surrounded by cherished photos and mementos of her husband, Anderson recalls feeling abandoned by Veterans Affairs Canada<\/a> (VAC).<\/p>\n \u201cI did not get mental health care after my husband died. I was offered at that time \u2014 the policy was 10 sessions,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt that with the manner that he died in and the amount of rebuilding that was going to be required, that I was not going to start therapy when I was only offered 10 sessions, because I felt that I would need more,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She sought community\u2013based support instead, but says it took three years.<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n Anderson and other spouses of veterans are calling on VAC to expand mental health benefits for family members.<\/p>\n Anderson now helps others navigate the system and says the service is a \u201cpatchwork\u201d inconsistently offered to family members.<\/p>\n \u201cMore often than not, they\u2019re not even being offered that assistance service. And some people are calling three and four times and they\u2019re not being offered that service,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tCpl. Jordan Anderson was among six soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in 2007 in Afghanistan.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tProvided\/Amanda Anderson\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Family members receive federally funded ongoing mental health care if it aligns with the veteran\u2019s treatment plan. Anderson says that it becomes difficult \u2014 or impossible \u2014 to obtain when the veteran is deceased, homeless or otherwise not accessing mental health care.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tGet daily National news<\/p>\n Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n The Veterans Ombudsman recommended changing the guidelines in 2016<\/a> and 2021<\/a>. This September, retired Col. Nishika Jardine urged VAC \u201cto provide access to mental health treatment benefits for family members of Canadian Armed Forces veterans in their own right.\u201d<\/p>\n Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n Anderson has joined other spouses to push for the change.<\/p>\n Jessica Ruth, widow of RCMP Const. Lee Ruth, says she also faced barriers when trying to access psychological care. Ruth spoke to a parliamentary committee meeting in October and highlighted her challenges after her husband was medically retired from the RCMP in 2022. He died by suicide earlier this year.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore on Canada With tears in her eyes, Ruth said treatment is vital for families in grief.<\/p>\n \u201cIn cases like ours, where the worst outcome became reality, it is vital that mental health treatment be in our own right and that we are able to maintain our existing therapeutic relationships. I had to engage with the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman to continue care with my existing therapist after Lee died. We were given six months. Having to fight for continued benefits is already weighing on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\tTrending Now\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tTrailer Park Boys actor Mike Smith charged with sexual assault for 2017 incident\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Get](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/national.jpg\")
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