4.2 Application Process

The NVC is intended to be a suite of programs; however, each program has a separate application to be completed by the client. A CF member or Veteran could receive an application for one or more of the NVC programs by visiting a district office, through the IPSC or Transition Interview, at the Legion, or through the National Contact Centre Network (NCCN). While not all CF members or Veterans would be completing applications for all programs simultaneously, if a CF member or Veteran called the NCCN to inquire about NVC programs and services he or she could be encouraged to apply for four of the NVC programs even after a cursory screening is completed. This would result in the CF member or Veteran receiving the following forms to be completed:

• application for Disability Benefits;
• application for Rehabilitation Program and Vocational Assistance Services;
• application for Earnings Loss Benefit;
• application for Public Service Health Care Plan;
• Authority to Release Medical Service Information (Pen 860);
• multiple versions of the applicants statements if applicant is applying for more than one condition;
• Authority to Release Information — Compensation (Pen 6206);
• Quality of Life form (Pen 50) for each condition the applicant is applying for;
• a Medical Questionnaire; and
• two Authority to Release Information — Department of National Defence (VAC 634) forms.

The above listed four applications and seven forms contain multiple pages to be completed by the CF member or Veteran with limited instructions. The sheer volume of this paper work all at once would be onerous to anyone, let alone someone who may be struggling with health issues. As a result, staff report that CF members and Veterans, especially those with an Operational Stress Injury, are seeking assistance in completing the application forms. CF members were described as coming from an environment in DND where they are accustomed to being told what to do and how to do it. They expect VAC to somewhat act and treat them in the same manner that DND did.

Many CF members or Veterans who are able to complete the application forms unassisted would still prefer employee guidance. The reason is that applicants believe staff have the knowledge and experience to ensure that applications are completed properly and have a greater chance of being approved the first time. Some staff identified that they were conflicted with how much assistance they should be providing, while others indicated that they were more than willing to provide any assistance the CF member or Veteran requires. Another group of staff members felt that the intent of the NVC is to re-establish the CF member into civilian life and, therefore, CF members or Veterans should have to complete the paper work as any other civilian applying for a government program. The cause of this varied opinion from staff is that there was no guidance to field staff regarding how much assistance they should provide. There was also the issue of work load, as helping CF members or Veterans complete applications was not part of field staff’s defined responsibilities. While staff might wish to be able to help, the reality is that assisting CF members or Veterans with applications is an additional task that was not being measured or reflected in terms of achieving departmental service standards.

CF members and Veterans consider these applications so complex and time consuming that businesses have been established and are marketing their services for this purpose. These businesses advertise as being experienced with the system and able to produce more favourable results faster. It should be noted that the fees charged for these services is sizable. However, it is unknown how many CF members or Veterans are accessing these services as the department does not track the number of applicants who use the services of these businesses, nor the success rate to measure if, in fact, these applications produce more favourable results.

Clients who are able to complete the application forms on their own express frustration. From a client’s perspective, there is duplication in the questions on the numerous forms and they are forced to provide basic tombstone data multiple times throughout the process. For example, when a CF member or Veteran applies for a Disability Award they are required to complete the applicant’s statement (page 3 of the application for Disability Benefits). The applicant’s statement requires a narrative describing how the condition is related to service, how the member/veteran has been coping with the condition, and the effect the condition has had on everyday activities. CF members and Veterans are advised to complete a separate applicant’s statement for each condition and encouraged to provide as much detail as possible, further exacerbating the issue. The applicant’s statement within the disability benefit application is also similar to Section F of the Rehabilitation Program and Vocational Assistance Services application. Section F asks for a narrative on how the physical and/or mental health problem results from service in the Canadian Forces and how it is creating a barrier to re-establishment to civilian life, specifically how it limits or prevents the member from performing roles in the workplace, home or community.

Additionally, much of the information CF members and Veterans are required to submit, DND already has. CF members and Veterans believe that VAC already has or should have the required service documents and medical documents from DND. Stakeholders and focus group participants expressed frustration with having to wait for requested information from DND as part of the application process.

Physicians and other health professionals such as psychologists are also struggling with information required of them from the Department. They are balancing completing lengthy medical forms with an already very heavy work load. In some cities, it was identified that clients were having difficulty finding physicians and other similar types of health professionals willing to complete the forms.

In addition to simplifying the application process, comments were also offered regarding the application forms. Stakeholders, focus group participants and staff suggested that it would be helpful if the application forms were set up similar to those of Revenue Canada or Passport Canada, where a detailed explanation for each section is provided along with examples of what constitutes a complete answer. Specifically, it was noted that the Quality of Life form is difficult for CF members and Veterans to understand and complete.

Stakeholders and focus group participants also identified that VAC is too focused on turnaround times, which was sacrificing the quality/accuracy of decisions. From the client’s perspective they are not interested in going through appeals and just want the right decision the first time. To minimize this, CF members and Veterans believe they should have a direct appointment with a case manager specifically to complete the required applications. Staff agreed that, if they participated as a regular course of business in helping CF members and Veterans, the applications would be completed in a more comprehensive fashion, turnaround times from application to the decision stage would be reduced, and fewer appeals would be launched.

The challenges and complications that clients noted above result in only 19% of NVC applications submitted actually containing all required information to process the application. The charts below illustrate the variance by program. In Annex E, detailed tables summarize the information for each program by fiscal year.

For the majority of the applications requiring additional information, the Department must return to the applicant or DND. This places additional stress on clients adds to VAC’s administrative workload, and significantly extends the turnaround times for a decision. The summary table below, presents the impact of requesting additional information to process the application has on the turnaround time for a decision. Annex E also provides a summary of the types of additional information required and the turnaround time to obtain it.

Table 4.2 — APPLICATIONS BY PROGRAM

Data for 2006-2010	DA	Rehab	EL	HB	CTS
Number of Clients Applying	33,904	4,447	3,874	1,197	996
Number of Unique applications	36,866	4,540	3,908	1,324	996
Number of Applications with all Information Completed	1,490	3,893	2,782	626	317
Number of Applications Requiring Additional Information	35,376	647	1,126	698	679
TAT for Decision (days)	178	39	117	59	32
Percentage Applications Approved	60.8%	93.6%	99.8%	81.2%	90.3%

VAC recently completed a review of mapping the processes associated with the Disability Benefits Program, with an aim to identifying opportunities to reduce the turnaround times. The review was undertaken as the current standard was the longest of all programs at 24 weeks and at the time, was experiencing significant back log. The results of the review then kick started a number of action plans designed to improve efficiency. However, the review was limited to the business process within VAC for Disability Benefits and did not consider the effect of applications on CF members and Veterans nor the cumulative effect of multiple applications.

Earnings Loss provides important financial support to clients while they are participating in the rehabilitation program. Financial concerns are a key part of case management and field staff highlighted the importance of providing timely access to financial support so that the clients can focus on their rehabilitation. However, the Earnings Loss application has the second longest turnaround times for a decision at an average of 117 days, although as illustrated in Annex E turnaround times for a decision have been decreasing. In addition to the complication of the forms, another key cause is that unlike the Disability Benefits and Rehabilitation Programs, district office staff are not involved in the preparation or review of applications for EL. EL applications are the responsibility of the Central Processing Centre (CPC) within Head Office. CPC staff interviewed identified that it was rare to have an application forwarded to their office that was complete and ready to be processed. The most common issue identified was that the EL application must be accompanied by a signed Authority to Release Information Department of National Defence (VAC 634) form but often times there is a signed Authority to Release Information for the Financial Benefits Program (VAC 632) attached instead. CPC staff were not aware of the origin or purpose of the VAC 632 form, and there was confusion among the NCCN and district office staff causing the wrong form to be sent to the client. Other information commonly missing included the CF member or Veteran’s social insurance number, and confirmation of income. All of these errors could easily be corrected by a review from someone in the field before sending the application to Head Office resulting in faster turnaround times and reducing administrative burden.

In the absence of a preliminary review from someone in the field, when these errors are identified the CPC prepares a letter to the CF member or Veteran detailing what is missing or incomplete in their application, and instructing them to provide the information to VAC within 30 days. This communication must be requested via mail as it is not appropriate to have the CPC staff who are unknown to the client calling to request personal information such as a Social Insurance Number over the phone. This additional correspondence causes considerable delays in the processing of EL applications. CPC staff believed it would be more effective to have the district office staff, who have already developed a rapport with the CF member or Veteran, contact them to gather missing information. However, district office staff did not feel they had the knowledge to answer questions about the EL program because they received very little training regarding this program.

Finally, with today’s technology and the federal government’s efforts to become more accessible and responsive, Canadians can now apply online for most government services and programs. However, the Disability Benefit Program was the only NVC program which offered an online application and significant issues with the online process were identified. The online application was only available to current VAC clients who have previously applied for, or were already in receipt of benefits from VAC, because they must have a Client ID number to proceed with the online application.

While the Disability Benefits Program application is available online, the required accompanying forms: Quality of Life, Medical Questionnaire, and Authority to Release Information — Compensation forms are not available to be submitted online. When completing applications online clients use an electronic signature for the Declaration and Authority to Release Medical/Service Information. However, the electronic signature was not recognized by the Department. Therefore, when the online applications were received by district office staff the application cannot be immediately processed. Once an online application is received the first activity to be completed is to mail out the Declaration and Authority to Release Medical/Service Information, Quality of Life, Medical Questionnaire, and Authority to Release Information — Compensation forms to be completed and signed by the client and mailed back to the district office.

Staff also reported clients experience frustration with the system because of difficulties signing into their VAC Account, system freezes, and lack of tracking abilities for their applications. Also staff were limited in the help they could provide a client when completing the online application because VAC staff cannot see what the client is viewing on his/her computer. Since April 2005 until March 2010 there have been 487 online applications for disability benefits received and the system tracks the number of clients who have attempted to use the online application. Data shows that only 66% of clients who attempted to apply online actually completed the process. Clients are indicating they would like more email contact with VAC and have more online services available.

Conclusion

The NVC is intended to be a suite of programs; however, each program has a separate application to be completed by the client. CF members and Veterans were struggling to complete the required forms, especially those with health issues requiring additional support. Staff report that if they participated with the CF member or Veteran in the completion of the application forms, the forms would be completed to a higher standard, the process would be less of a burden on the CF member or Veteran, and turnaround times and appeals would decrease.

CF members and Veterans who were able to complete the application forms on their own expressed frustration. There is duplication in the questions on the numerous forms and applicants are required to provide basic tombstone data multiple times throughout the process. Also stakeholders and focus group participants expected that VAC would have access to this information via DND.

When the NVC programs were implemented, efforts were made to remove as many administrative tasks from the field as possible to allow for more time to concentrate on case management. While this concept was very much appreciated by field staff, experience has shown that the lack of any review before the EL application is processed at Head Office causes inefficiencies and creates longer turnaround times. Also financial concerns are a key part of case management, so field staff need to be able to provide assurances regarding earnings loss benefits, to ease their concerns, allowing the CF member or Veteran to concentrate on rehabilitation.

The current online process for Disability Benefits is ineffective, incomplete and actually more cumbersome than the paper application resulting in more work for staff and longer turnaround times for applicants. When clients apply online they expect a faster and easier process and the reality is that the opposite, is occurring.

Recommendation 3 (Essential)

It is recommended that a review be conducted by the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division, in consultation with the Program Management Division and the Centralized Operations Division, to identify opportunities to reduce duplication and complication in the application process for the NVC programs.

Management Response:

Management agrees with this recommendation and will form part of the action plan to re-engineer and simplify the application process for NVC programs.

Management Action Plan

Corrective Action(s) to be taken	OPI (Office of Primary Interest)	Target Date
3.1 Consult Information Management and Access to Information and Policy regarding the duplication in the collection of tombstone data to determine if any efficiencies could be gained.	Service Delivery Management Division	September 2010
3.2 Develop guidelines to assist Veterans and CF members with the completion of application forms	Service Delivery Management Division	October 2010
3.3 A Salute article will be developed promoting the NCCN phone line for client assistance with applications.	Service Delivery Management Division	March 2011
3.4 Conduct a review of the application forms in the view of making them less complicated.	Service Delivery Management Division	March 2011

Recommendation 4 (Essential)

It is recommended that the process for applying for earnings loss be reviewed and revised by the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division in consultation with the Centralized Operations Division and Program Management Division with a view to improving efficiency.

Management Response:

Management agrees with this recommendation. As a result of two recommendations by the Auditable Financial Statements on Earnings Loss, there is a plan to facilitate data exchange with Canada Revenue Agency and the Earning Loss application business process is being revised for Survivors and Orphans to ensure that these potential clients are counselled after a death benefit ruling.

Management Action Plan

Corrective Action(s) to be taken	OPI (Office of Primary Interest)	Target Date
4.1 Coordinate review with stakeholders to seek ways to simplify the EL application process.	Service Delivery Management Division	December 2010
4.2 Clarify and communicate roles of staff on the EL application process to all stakeholders.	Service Delivery Management Division	December 2010
4.3 Implement recommendations from the above review.	Service Delivery Management Division	March 2011

Recommendation 5 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division improve the current online application process.

Management Response:

Management agrees with this recommendation. The Strategic and Enabling Initiatives Directorate has created a business case and project charter/plan for improving the functionality of online client self-service. The Enhanced My VAC Account project aims to deliver an improved online self-service process while also enhancing the profile of the online service. As an increasing number of VAC clients expect to interact with the department through the internet, having appropriate self-service functionality in place to meet their needs will improve client satisfaction.

Management Action Plan

Corrective Action(s) to be taken	OPI (Office of Primary Interest)	Target Date
5.1 Create Needs Analysis for My VAC Account improvements.	Service Delivery Management Division	August 2010
5.2 Design and development of My VAC Account.	Service Delivery Management Division	February 2011
5.3 Delivery of enhanced online self-service functionality.	Service Delivery Management Division	March 2011