Post-deployment screening in the Canadian military: Translating evaluation research into program recommendations.

The Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF's) post-deployment screening has remained largely unchanged since its 2002 introduction. This screening is required for CAF service members returning from international deployments of more than 60 days. It consists of a questionnaire that assesses self-reported issues and is subsequently reviewed by a mental health professional interviewer. The interviewer then assesses the level of concern for the member and, if warranted, recommends follow-up care. The fundamental goal of the screening is to shorten the delay to care among those with potential mental health problems. Research to evaluate the screening program's effectiveness has been limited. This article consolidates key findings and implications from a recent evaluation project to inform those who manage and deliver the CAF post-deployment screening program of areas in which modifications would be beneficial. Collectively, the evaluation studies identified benefits to screening and found that it was mostly performing as expected. However, some unexpected findings highlight a need for improved communication on screening roles, responsibilities, and benefits, implementation of screening completion monitoring, augmented training for screening interviewers, and implementation of care provision monitoring when follow-up care is recommended. This screening program is currently undergoing modernization, and the evaluation studies can provide some guidance.