Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 26th, 2015

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

That would be you. What would be the percentage of people who would require one-on-one assistance instead of going to the sessions?

[Mélanie Witty]

Well, when you're case-managed by Montfort, because you're medically releasing, that implies you need a case manager when you release from Veterans Affairs.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

No, I'm still talking about the SCAN, to replace the SCAN because they can't attend it and they can't come in the other group. You would have to provide that information on a one-on-one basis. Is that available?

[Mélanie Witty]

It is available for someone coming to us and saying, “I can't attend a SCAN and I have a lot of challenges“. We need to break this down. That's when we start case managing them.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Michel, you mentioned that there are complaints of delays in receiving the benefits. Can you inform us what the delays are caused by, why there are delays, and how they can be fixed?

[Michel D. Doiron]

It depends on what program we're talking about because every program is a little different.

In the case of the adjudication process we've invested a lot of money in the past six months to a year with our colleagues at CAF, but we still have delays receiving medical health records. They're much better; they're down to about five weeks now. At one point this year it was nine weeks. If you have a 16-week process, and nine weeks to get a file, it's causing us some issues. DND are all over it. They've added resources, but on the adjudication side that's one of the areas.

Another area we get delays is with getting medical assessments. In certain parts of the country it is difficult to get a doctor, a GP. When they're in the forces the member has a doctor. When they release, in certain communities you're on the waiting list to get a general practitioner. In P.E. I., where we are, it could be eight months before you are assigned a GP. You could always go to a clinic before you get a GP. I think it's even longer than that in some locations in Quebec. If you need a medical assessment from the provincial authorities, that causes delays. All those are things that go into delays.

In certain cases we have to refer them to specialized services. We're doing a case plan with an individual and we have to refer them to a special mental health worker. In Ottawa it's not a big issue because the service is quite good. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, there is an issue. New Brunswick is a low-paying province when it comes to salaries for psychologists and psychiatrists. Therefore they go into the private sector much quicker than they stay for the province. We run into some of those that cause delays in getting the diagnosis. We take other processes to try and eliminate that, like working with our CAF and sending them to a CAF doctor, but those are some examples of delays we see.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

The next question I have is about the disability award, 75% of—

[Michel D. Doiron]

—79% are approved at first application, yes.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

You mentioned that a person receiving the disability award is able to work and make extra money. At what point would the disability award be clawed back? How much extra money would you have to make?

[Michel D. Doiron]

The disability award is not clawed back. The disability award is a lump sum. That's not clawed back.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

No, for—

[Mélanie Witty]

You're talking about the earning loss when you're on your rehab program.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

That's correct, earning loss replacement.

[Mélanie Witty]

It's not uncommon that a client who is on the rehab program is gainfully employed. He receives no earning loss because he makes too much money, but he needs the case management. He needs someone to coordinate the needs with his medical and psychological conditions.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

What I'm asking is, if the person is receiving the income replacement, and is working part-time making money, is the full amount that he is earning deducted?

[Mélanie Witty]

We have to deduct it because it's considered an income. Not the full amount, but there is a calculation. It's not uncommon for someone to work part-time. He has to declare it with us. We will do the calculation because it will be considered an overpayment. He has to declare that he earns an income. We are providing income replacement. You can't earn an income on top of it without having any offset.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

I understand.

The example you are giving here is a person making about $60,000 a year, so about $5,000 a month. Therefore 75% would be $45,000. Logically thinking, if a person was making $15,000 extra a year, to make it to $60,000, then in my view it shouldn't be deducted. Anything above it, maybe. Is this how it works?

[Michel D. Doiron]

They're allowed to make a percentage, but I don't know what it is. We can get that number to you. There is a formula. They are allowed to make a little bit of money, but at a certain point it starts clawing back. They would not be allowed to do $15,000 to get to that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

With the committee's indulgence, I'd like to allow Mr. Valeriote one quick question. I know that we've gone beyond the two hours already.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I'll be quick.

This is on the heels of the Auditor General's report, Peter's question about those who are told no, and your answer that some people don't like no for an answer. I get that, but we know that, of the 15,000 over the last number of years who applied, 24% appealed and 65% were successful. That means that 2,386 who were originally told no were later told yes. We also know that 128 of those who were told no had to wait more than three years to ultimately be told yes.

The Auditor General, in short, said Veterans Affairs should provide additional assistance with the application process. I think he means Veterans Affairs, not the Legion, but Veterans Affairs. You're the boss. What effort is being made to actually say more than, “Okay, we'll review the application and we'll call them back before....” I'd like to know why you can't be a service provider who says, “Get the heck in here. We'll help you fill out your application because we don't want you to be one of the ones who falls through the cracks.”

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

Mr. Valeriote, I think that this is more than just a simple question.

With the committee's indulgence, I will ask the clerk to send Mr. Doiron a transcript of this question, and then you could submit a response to the clerk.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

For the moment, as I still have quorum, I'd like to thank all members of the committee for their continued collegiality here.

I'd like to convene you to come back here on March 10 at 8:45 in the morning for our 39th meeting, when we will entertain information from the Department of National Defence, much in the same way as we did this morning.

This meeting is adjourned.