Since July 2018, it has been a board priority to create greater access for all veterans and their families. A key to this process has been moving to a more veteran-centric and less formal environment.
For example, as we told you this past spring, we've implemented a simplified process that groups together less complex cases involving similar issues, such as hearing loss or tinnitus. This enables us to significantly increase our capacity to hear a higher volume of cases and to process the cases more effectively. We believe that the process has the potential to expedite the review of previously denied cases by diverting these cases out of the system, while at the same time providing timely decisions to veterans.
We're also anticipating a significant increase in our board membership. This will enable us to strengthen our capacity to conduct hearings and issue decisions. These new members will play a critical role in our operations, since the board’s workload continues to grow.
One of the board's current priorities is to prepare to effectively manage the anticipated increase in the number of applications from the department. In addition to pending cases, your committee is also looking at the processing times for English-speaking and French-speaking veterans' records. In the past, we've struggled to ensure that veterans receive their decisions in a timely manner, particularly decisions written in French. However, service in French is a key issue for me. As a result, we've implemented several measures to ensure that every veteran receives their hearing and decision in a timely manner and in the language of their choice. For example, over the past two years, the board has increased the number of French-speaking staff and has maintained a linguistic balance among its members to meet the demand.
On behalf of the chair and myself, I'll conclude our remarks by emphasizing that the Veterans Review and Appeal Board remains committed to ensuring that veterans and their families receive the benefits to which they're entitled, in a timely manner and in the language of their choice.
Thank you for your invitation this afternoon.