| Summary: | Approximately three percent of incarcerated individuals in Canada are veterans with unique mental health needs. The purpose of the current study was to examine incarcerated Canadian veterans’ mental health challenges and understand their perceptions of these challenges including perceived barriers and potential solutions. Each interview involved a demographic questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and the SCID-5-CV. Sixteen male inmates participated in the study, five identified as Aboriginal and eleven identified as Caucasian. Eleven served in the Army, three in the Navy, and two in the Air Force. Sixty eight percent were serving time for a violent offence, 62% reported a TBI, 18% had seen combat and 43% had completed peacekeeping tours. PTSD, mood disorders, and substance abuse were the most reported mental health difficulties. Themes that emerged include: adjustment difficulties, mental health difficulties-related to military service and familial/early influences, masculinity, stigmatization, and peer support. Proposed solutions to barriers included: mandatory treatment, integration of mental health into military activities, increasing anonymity, promotion of services, accessible services, and peer-based interventions. These results suggest that incarcerated veterans have unique mental health needs which may be contributing to their incarceration. Integrating veterans’ views into programming is a potential area of further study.
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