New Website Offers Strategies for Military Families about Military Life

Mental health training and education will now be at the fingertips of military families after the soft launch of the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) Family Life website.

An initiative of Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) and Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), the R2MR for Family Life, will repackage the well-established R2MR program of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for families.

“The R2MR for Family Life website was developed to bring the R2MR program to military families and the entire Defence Team.

“The skills taught within the R2MR program can be applied to many aspects of both military and family life,” said Jonathan Pratt, Associate Director, Resilience and Engagement, Military Family Services.

What can families expect?

The website’s soft launch was announced on May 29 across several Department of National Defence (DND) and CAF platforms.

According to Pratt, the new website will bring all of the core R2MR ideals but with “an enhanced focus on the application of these tools in the context of the challenges and obstacles that are routine to most individuals in their daily lives.”

Military members and their families will be able to find information, videos, testimonials, activities and more to enhance their well-being.

“Bringing R2MR to the entire Defence Team and their families is another way we’re supporting the holistic health and wellness of our members as part of the essential morale and welfare services we provide toward a strong, secure and engaged Canadian Armed Forces,” commented Pratt.

How will families benefit?

The website will allow families to benefit in a variety of ways that will benefit their personal lives and the challenges they encounter related to military life.

The website will allow them to learn the importance of wellness, access wellness training, connect with a supportive community, and map their progression through military life.

Wellness training will allow them to plan for relocations, deployments, reintegration, and other challenges and unique experiences associated with military life.

About the R2MR Program

The R2MR program was launched in 2008 by the Mental Health & Operational Stress Injury Joint Speaker’s Bureau.

Since then, the program has helped establish a framework for military members regarding resilience and mental health training.

To learn more about R2MR for Families program, visit here.