Executive Summary

The New Veterans Charter (NVC) represents the most sweeping change to Veterans’ benefits and services in the past 60 years. The NVC shifts the focus from one of disability to one of wellness and responds to Canada’s commitment to injured Canadian Forces members and Veterans. The suite of services and benefits available under the NVC include a lump-sum disability award, rehabilitation, financial benefits, health benefits, and career transition services.

This is a three-phased comprehensive evaluation being conducted from April 2009 to December 2010. The Phase I report focussed on the relevance and rationale of the NVC and its programs. This Phase II report focuses on outreach, the application process and service delivery framework. The Phase III report will focus on the success in achieving desired outcomes and any unintended impacts. The findings from these reports are intended to improve the design and delivery of the NVC programs and the evaluation will fulfill a departmental commitment. Additionally a separate evaluation comparing the Disability Award program to the Disability Pension program has also been completed.

Outreach is an effort by individuals in an organization to share information or provide education as well as engage particular groups. The Department participates in a wide range of outreach activities most of which are initiated and supported in the district and regional offices. In 2008, an NVC outreach strategy was developed but implemented to varying degrees across the country. Transition interviews and the functioning of Integrated Personnel Support Centres were identified as effective methods of reaching out to releasing members. However, there remained gaps concerning NVC outreach activities for previously released members and families.

VAC messaging needs to continue to be consistent, multi-channelled and presented at multiple points in time to ensure clients avail themselves of VAC programs when appropriate. Fully implementing an outreach strategy, supported by a performance measurement strategy, will ensure consistency and appropriate coverage of key audiences. In addition, information collected from a performance measurement strategy should be used to plan, coordinate and target NVC messaging to ensure resources are being expended in effective manner to reach key audiences.

The suite of NVC services and benefits required an application form to be completed for each program. The evaluation team found that Canadian Forces Members and Veterans were struggling to complete the numerous forms, especially those individuals with health issues who required additional support. Applicants who were able to complete the forms expressed frustration with the duplication such as the requirement to provide basic tombstone data multiple times throughout the process. It was identified that the current online process for disability benefits was ineffective, incomplete and actually more cumbersome than the paper application which resulted in additional work for staff and longer turnaround times for clients. Also, the absence of any claims preparation before the Earnings Loss applications are processed at Head Office is inefficient and creates longer turnaround times.

Policy and process intent have changed in recent years in response to the dramatic shift in client demographics. In order to support consistent quality, client service operational staff need to better understand the roles and responsibilities of functional specialists, receive nationally coordinated skills-based training, and have improved access to up-to-date policies and business processes. In addition, VAC is currently revising the delegated authorities to allow for more timely decision making. As part of these revisions to the delegated authorities, developing a strong quality assurance process is necessary to ensure that any future changes aimed at improving efficiency do not come at the cost of reducing the quality and consistency of decision making.

Based on the findings presented in the Phase II report, the following ten recommendations were identified. Currently, the Department is in the process of re-engineering service delivery to reduce complexity, strengthen partnerships and align with client demographics. The Management Action Plans that appear in this report have been developed based on the information currently available. However, future decisions resulting from this re-engineering could require changes to some of the identified action steps or timeframes.

Recommendation 1 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Program Management Division, in consultation with the Service Delivery Management Division and the Communications Division, fully implement an outreach strategy with clearly outlined roles and responsibilities and is supported by adequate resources and a performance measurement plan.

Recommendation 2 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Program Management Division, in consultation with the Service Delivery Management Division and the Communications Division, plan, coordinate and target NVC messaging to ensure resources are being expended in an effective manner to reach key audiences.

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.

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 the Program Management Division with a view to improving efficiency.

Recommendation 5 (Essential)

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

Recommendation 6 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division in consultation with the Program Management Division, develop, resource and sustain a National Learning Program for the New Veterans Charter.

Recommendation 7 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division develop and implement a process to streamline access to current policies, business processes and directives and more effectively identify and communicate changes.

Recommendation 8 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division clarify and communicate the purpose and composition for the interdisciplinary team.

Recommendation 9 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Service Delivery Management Division, clarify the role of health professionals and functional specialists in relation to the NVC programs and to each other and more effectively communicate when to consult with these positions.

Recommendation 10 (Essential)

It is recommended that the Director General, Program Management Division in consultation with Service Delivery Management Division, Policy Division and Finance Division complete the modifications to the delegation of authority for the New Veterans Charter and implement the revised authority with a supportive framework which includes a comprehensive quality assurance component.