Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)
Video / August 1, 2024
Transcript
Good day. Welcome. My name is Marie-Michèle. I'm here to present on behalf of Veterans Affairs today. We'll talk about our programs and our services.
Today I'll provide you with an introduction of our programs and services. They are too broad and too long to explain in detail, so we'll go over them very quickly and then give you the resources to find more information as you require.
Veterans Affairs has identified 4 strategies for successful transition out of the military.
We consider all the aspects of well-being to ensure that you have a successful transition. Well-being is about more than your physical and your mental health, it is about making sure that you know what your plan is and that can include your family and all of the goals that you plan for life after service.
Well-being is also about the need for safe and affordable housing, it is about a peace of mind, and that's why financial security, personal relationships and support from your community is also important. The seven domains of well-being have been identified by the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada as follows: Health, Purpose, Finances, Culture and Social Environments, Housing and Physical Environment, Life Skills and Preparedness. Our programs and services are geared towards helping you achieving your goals in these health domains.
Strategy #1 is first and foremost get involved in your transition. Make sure that you get to know our services. Together, we can meet with your spouse, your loved one, and your family members to make sure that you have what you need to successfully transition out of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Prepare your transition by ensuring that your medical health records are up to date and by exploring Veterans Affairs services and benefits.
Thirdly, become knowledgeable. Ask questions and learn where to find information and tools that you can use throughout your transitioning process.
Fourth, remember that you are not alone in transition. Take advantage of the assistance that you require and that is offered to you.
Let's look at the first strategy. This means attending a transition interview six months prior to your release. The interview is a chance to develop a plan moving forward and review the programs and services that may be available to you and your family. That is why it's a good idea for you to bring your partner, your family member, a loved one with you at your transition interview. Having someone provides you the opportunity to have a second set of ears, a second brain to remember the things that will be shared with you and to help you share your story.
In addition to attending a transition interview, sign up for a My VAC Account as soon as possible. It is the best way to discuss business with VAC and to interact with our department.
My VAC Account enables you to do things. Apply online for Veterans Affairs benefits and services, track your applications, connect directly with the departments via secure messaging and manage your transition. To register for My VAC account, you will have to use your VAC file number, your VAC Medavie Blue Cross ID number, or your regimental number. My VAC account is designed for all members and veterans and not only those who need to access services and programs. It is our way of linking to you and we’re there to support you if and when you need.
If you're medically releasing, then you can benefit from Enhanced Transition Services. Enhanced Transition Services means that the CAF and VAC are working together with you and your family prior to release to identify and to ensure that your services and benefits are available to you at the time of release. Together we will support your team, you and your family to achieve what you want in Civilian life.
You will receive detailed information and assistance in completing your application and registering for my VAC account. Your post release care will continue as long as it is required for you and your family and during your transition. This is a collaboration that facilitates a process that is complex, that is stressful, but we are here to help.
The second strategy is to prepare for your transition. Our job is to provide you with the help that you need and when you need it.
But right now, let's talk about what you need to do in this moment. Begin by making sure that you're up to date with all medical and dental treatments available through the Canadian Armed Forces. Make sure that your CAF medical records are up to date. This will go a long way with giving continuity of care to your care team on the civilian side and the accurate information will be shared with the accurate people. It will also help improve the process when you apply for benefits and programs.
I'm going to stress a very important point. I'll talk about a lot of things today, but if you remember one thing, remember this one: the decision on if you qualify for benefits and how much you qualify is based on the evidence available in your service health records. Your job is to document properly your injury and to make sure that it is available in your service health records, there must be information on your records to support a disability or an injury related to your service.
I'm going to repeat this again. Your job is to make sure that if you were injured or if there was an incident that is relatable to your military service, it must be documented in your service health records.
The third strategy is to be knowledgeable about your transition and to learn more about programs and services. The My Transition Guide, which you have already heard about, contains useful information about services and programs. It can point you in the direction to find more information based on your own transition plan and your own needs.
A part of our efforts at VAC was to modernize the way that we share information and to support you through your transition. Should you require more additional information, these following tools can help you. Our website is available and is full of information regarding tools, programs, services and benefits. My VAC account as I previously stated is available. It provides a modern online option to discuss with the department your needs and programs.
Register for My VAC Book. So My VAC Book is another tool to help learn about services and benefits that may be available to members and to your family. To build a personal book, go online to Veterans Affairs Canada's website. Based on the information given, a book will be provided that is tailored to the individual circumstances. Once finished a PDF format of the book will be available to you. Should you want a paper format, one can be mailed to you, as well, upon request.
On our website we have a Veterans Benefits Navigator. The Benefit Navigator is a useful tool for veterans and their family to quickly know if you are eligible and the details of the programs you could be eligible for.
The programs and services that we provide are the following: compensation for service related illness or injury, income replacement benefits while you're getting better and facing barriers to re-establishment, help for you to remain independent, support to pursue education or training to prepare you for the job market on the civilian side, services to your family, health care and mental health benefits.
The following are just a few specific services to give you an idea of how Veterans Affairs can support. Eligibility for most of these programs are not contingent on your release article. Even though you may not be medically releasing, you can still access programs and services or in the future when you wish to do so.
Career transition services are available to all CAF members and Veterans who have completed basic training. It can be utilized when you're still in uniform to support your preparation for a new career post service. Your services in the CAF have given you a variety of experience, training and skills that are valued by employers all across Canada.
Whether you want to work full time, part time, join the public service workforce or the private sector, or consider self-employment or becoming an entrepreneur, an independent consultant, Career Transition can guide you in achieving your career goals. Consider using both social media platforms such as LinkedIn to expand your networking opportunity or join a higher a veteran group.
Throughout this platform and Career Transition Services, you will learn about upcoming webinars showcasing employers and companies actively recruiting veterans into their organization. Career Transition Services coaches also support you in pursuing further education.
We offer support to broaden your education and increase your employment options. The Education and Training Benefit provides funding depending on your years of service. The funding enables you to pursue post secondary education and training that results in a degree, diploma, certification or a designation. Calculation of service years include regular or reserve force service or a combination of both. If you served 12 or more years, you are eligible for the maximum amount of education training benefits. If you serve between 6 and 12 years, you qualify for half of the maximum amount. Or if you prefer to take career or professional development courses outside of university and college, we can help with those, as well.
Rehabilitation services and vocational assistance program. Veterans who have health problems that are resulting primarily from service in the CAF and that are creating barriers to re-establishment in life after service may be eligible for VAC's Rehabilitation and Vocational services. Although this is a voluntary program, application is up to you, but participation will be mandatory once a decision is made on eligibility.
Those approved on the rehabilitation program will work in partnership with a VAC case manager and our national contractor Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation services. All eligible health problems will be assessed to determine if a rehabilitation plan will be created. Rehabilitation plan includes services that aim to support to improve function to an optimal level. Some of these services may include interdisciplinary care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, and more.
You might consider applying for the rehab program if: you've served in the Canadian Armed Forces, you have a health problem (temporary or permanent), that is resulting primarily from your service, and is causing a barrier to re-establishment that prevents your full participation at work, at home, or in the community.
Income replacement benefits. Veterans participating in the rehabilitation program may be eligible for Income Replacement benefits, which is a taxable monthly benefit available to participants who have health problems resulting primarily from service. Payment amount is 90% of pre-released military salary calculated with basic pay less income offsets such as your Canadian Forces Superannuation, CAF LTD, short-term and long-term disability and is indexed annually. You can earn up to 20 grand gross in employment earnings without impacting your income replacement benefit. These incomes will have to be reported to VAC.
Family Services. We will work with you and your family to access the services and programs you need. For example, the Veteran Family Programs gives medically released reservists greater access to all military family resource centres across Canada.
Our transition experts are ready to support the health and well-being of you and your family during this time. We provide Veteran family telemedicine for medically released veterans and their family. If you are seriously injured in service, the Caregiver Recognition Benefit recognizes the importance a caregiver delivers on a day-to-day basis. The benefit provides your informal caregiver, with a direct monthly payment tax free.
Finally, the Veteran Emergency Fund provides emergency financial support to veterans, their family and survivors whose well-being is at risk due to an urgent and unexpected situation. The Emergency Fund will provide short term relief while we work with you to identify any long-term need and possible solutions.
Healthcare programs. So we offer a number of health and well-being programs. The Veteran Independence Program helps you remain in your home by offering financial assistance with services such as housekeeping and grounds maintenance. Our treatment benefit covers health care services and benefits such as prescription drugs and medical supplies. We offer financial assistance for the cost of long term or nursing home care.
We also provide mental health benefits. Veterans who apply for disability benefits for a certain mental health condition, as well as those who already apply and are awaiting a decision, qualify for early access to mental health coverage. Concretely, this means that you have access to 25 sessions per calendar year to take care of your mental health. Our mental health services include a network of operational stress injury clinics, a family peer support program, and mobile applications for veterans and family members who have been affected by service-related operational stress injuries.
Our assistance service provides confidential short-term counseling at no cost to you. If you wish to speak to a counsellor, please call the line anytime the number is on the screen, day or night. Families can also get support through these services. Use the tools that you have at your hands to get the support that you need.
Serving members and veterans who experience service-related injuries or illnesses carry the pain and suffering with them throughout their lives. Pension for Life Benefit recognizes via monthly payments for life this burden. These benefits are the Pain and Suffering Compensation, which is a disability benefit that recognizes and compensates Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans for the pain and suffering they experienced due to a disability caused by a service-related injury or illness. It is monthly and it is non taxable.
Additional pain and suffering compensation is also a tax-free monthly benefit. It provides recognition and compensation for any severe and permanent disability related to your service, which creates a barrier to your life after service. This is also not taxable.
If you receive a disability benefit, you may qualify for additional allowances. You may qualify for a tax-free monthly clothing allowance, if you receive a disability benefit for a condition that caused wear and tear on your clothing and requires special clothing.
Survivor benefits are available when a disability pensioner dies. If you receive a disability pension prior to April 1st 2006 under the Pension Act, you may be eligible for the Attendance Allowance which is an additional tax free monthly assistance to a totally disabled individual who needs personal day-to-day care.
The Exceptional Incapacity Allowance is an additional tax free monthly benefit. You may qualify for this allowance if you have a disability pension, and an exceptional incapacity related to your pension condition.
The Critical Injury Benefit provides a tax-free lump sum award if you experienced a sudden single incident resulting in a severe and traumatic service related injury or acute disease that immediately caused severe impairment and interfered with your quality of life.
The last strategy for success is to remember that you have a vast support network at Veterans Affairs Canada, we offer different levels of support based on your needs. Targeted assistance from our staff and online resources can help you with your questions or applications. Guided support provides an extra level of help when a challenge is too much to handle independently.
Finally, case management is provided for those who are experiencing the most complex challenges across all of the domains of well-being. If you find it difficult to navigate transition or if you experienced a life change in which you need assistance, we are here for you and in the future. Let's start your transition together.
For now, remember to jump start the process by getting involved early. Register for your My VAC Accounts and book your transition interview with your spouse or your loved ones. Make sure your service health records are representative of your injuries and your illnesses. Stay informed about our programs and services. Remember that we are here and we're there to support. Veterans Affairs has offices all across Canada to help deliver our programs and our services, as well as staff working in transition centres as a one stop shop for service and service Canada provides veterans with more than 611 points of service across the country.
You can call us, you can book an appointment, use your My VAC account to communicate with us, and visit our offices. We're more than happy to help and we are here to support you. Just come and talk to us. Thank you for your time.