Veterans Independence Program – Home Care Benefits and Services (VAC PPU 616)

Description: This bank describes information related to those individuals who apply for and/or receive support under Veterans Independence Program (VIP) Home Care Benefits and Services. Home Care Benefits and Services include health and support services, personal care services, housekeeping, access to nutrition and grounds maintenance. Personal information may include: name; gender; contact information including phone numbers, residential and mailing address; marital status; citizenship status; language; date and place of birth; date and place of death; physical attributes; power of attorney or representative’s information; signature; financial information; residence information; accident and injury information; medical/health information including assessment of difficulties performing tasks within the home; assessments and reports - occupational therapist/case manager/nursing/provincial assessments (which may include an in-depth medical history and patterns of individuals’ physical, social and mental health and functioning, caregivers, and support services); VIP benefit and services contributions and grants, and decision history; Veteran’s and spouse’s Old Age Security (OAS) number; opinion of, or about, individuals; military service information, including service number and rank; client identifier information; Survivor’s proof of eligibility of Disability Tax Credit (DTC) or Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) in support of Survivors application for Housekeeping and Grounds Maintenance – Veteran’s information at the time of death, including living arrangements, Veteran’s history of VIP benefits, War Veterans Allowance or Disability Pensions benefits; survivor information may include: name, contact information, date of birth, wage/remuneration details for providing care to the Veteran, type of care provided, length of time continuously lived together, survivor’s residence information, assessment of need for housekeeping and/or grounds maintenance services, health condition(s) in relation to the application for housekeeping and/or grounds maintenance, and details of insured service provider under a provincial health care system or private insurance policy, including the maximum payable; spouse/common law or primary caregiver information may include: name, contact information, date of birth, marital status; financial information; confirmation of ongoing eligibility of the Veteran or Primary Caregiver, including living arrangements and any changes to such arrangements, type of residence, description of the assistance required to perform day to day activities, self-assessment of physical and mental health and the impacts related to VIP services, health issues that may result in the need for additional VIP services, as well as the Veteran and Primary Caregivers opinion of, or about services being funded through VIP. Decision and/or entitlement information about individuals may be received from other VAC programs, including War Veterans Allowance (VAC PPU 040), Disability Pensions (VAC PPU 601), Disability Awards (VAC PPU 603) and Other Allowances (VAC PPU 604); Contact, biographical and identifying information, and information on needs may come from the Department of National Defence and the VAC Transition Interview.  Other required personal information may include whether the applicant is a VAC employee, other information required for identity validation, and information regarding a representative.

Note: Revised in 2019. Information may be stored in VAC's physical and electronic systems including: Client Service Delivery Network (CSDN), and GCCase, which may include client-initiated actions and responses made through My VAC Account, and/or, VAC staff/contracted resource-initiated actions and responses made through Benefit and Health Services On-line (BHSOL) and the Federal Health Claims Processing Service (FHCPS). Client’s name, address, date of birth/death, language preferences, military service type, and VIP benefits including dollar amount and eligibility information is stored in the FHCPS through a contract with Medavie Blue Cross. Some documents received in Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) from the Department of National Defence (DND) may reference the Social Insurance Number (SIN) as DND personnel were required to use the SIN as their personal identification number between 1960-1990.

Class of Individuals: Veterans who served in the Second World War and the Korean War, Allied Veterans, Special Duty Service and Military Service Pensioners, former members of the Canadian Armed Forces, certain Reserve Force personnel, eligible civilians, spouses, survivors, primary caregivers, and/or their representatives.

Purpose: The personal information is used to administer VIP Home Care Benefits and Services and to determine eligibility, client needs, funding levels, and to disburse funding for these benefits. Personal information is collected pursuant to the Department of Veterans Act and the Veterans Health Care Regulations (Part II, Sections 15-20).

Consistent Uses: Information may be used and disclosed for planning, research, development, evaluation and/or reporting of programs, policies and services. The use and disclosure is limited to VAC areas that are involved in the identified program, service and policy, and may also be shared with senior management.

Personal information may be shared with other VAC programs, including programs covered by the application waiver provision under sections 80.1 of the Pension Act and/or 78.1 of the Veterans Well-being Act, for the purpose of determining eligibility for additional benefits, assessments, case management, mental health initiatives, and/or commemorative activities, where applicable.

Name, client identifier, information related to benefit entitlements and changes in need or circumstances that may impact these entitlements, service provider name and type of services received may be shared with a third party claims processor (Medavie Blue Cross) for client reimbursement and benefit renewal purposes.

By Order in Council 2011-1348, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) may provide services on behalf of VAC. Personal information may be collected by Service Canada Centres, acting as a receiving agent on behalf of VAC.  Refer to ESDC Bank Number: ESDC PPU 701). Information may include: name, contact information, dates and places of birth and death, biographical information, aliases, language, signature, military service number, employee number or other identification numbers, military or other service information, witness statements, quality of life assessments, financial information, health information, marital status and dependent information (may include divorce, separation and custody documents), and citizenship status.

Personal information may be obtained by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), in accordance with an established Memorandum of Agreement, for the purpose of creating a digital image of the record for use by VAC (refer to PSPC institution specific personal information bank, PWGSC PCU 709 - Document Imaging Solutions), PSPC will not use the personal information for the purposes of making administrative decisions.

Personal information such as name, contact information, service information, health and financial information may be shared with an authorized and approved third party, in accordance with an established Service Level Agreement for the purpose of printing and mailing services. The approved third party will not use the personal information for the purposes of making administrative decisions.

VAC has contracted an authorized and approved third party, located in Canada, to provide transportation, storage, maintenance, retrieval, delivery and destruction services of VAC records where applicable.

Retention and Disposal Standards: Regardless of the format, as part of the client record, the retention period is 7 years after the date of death of the applicant. If the date is not known, the retention period is 110 years after the date of birth provided there are no known dependents, no outstanding claims against the crown, no actions involving the estate, no indication on file of the legal status of a dependent, and no activity of any kind.