This Rehabilitation Services Evaluation was conducted in accordance with Veterans Affairs Canada's (VAC) approved Multi-year Risk Based Evaluation Plan 2013-2018.
Established in 2006, the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act (hereinafter referred to as the New Veterans Charter or NVC), shifts the Department's focus from one of disability to one of wellness and responds to Canada's commitment to injured Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans. As part of the NVC, the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program (hereinafter referred to as the Program) provides eligible Veteran recipients and their spouse/survivor(s) with one or more of the following types of rehabilitation services: medical, psychosocial, or vocational. In fiscal year 2012-13, the Program funded $18.4 million in benefits and services.
The intent of the Program is to support the reasonable restoration of functioning in the following five major areas: mental and physical functioning; social adjustment; family relationships; financial security, employment and personal productivity; and community participation. Recipients are primarily Veterans who were recently medically-released from the CAF, or CAF Veterans who have a health problem resulting primarily from service which is creating a barrier to their re-establishment in civilian life. Veterans often present with complex co-morbid conditions which require the use of the various available medical and psychosocial rehabilitation benefits and services.
The evaluation examined the relevance and performance of the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program and was conducted in accordance with Treasury Board (TB) requirements and TB Secretariat guidance material. The evaluation findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of evidence.