Veterans Affairs Committee on June 9th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

It's 5:02, so your five minutes are over. I'm sorry.

Ms. Romanado is next.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Thank you.

First, I would like to thank you for your contribution to our country. Thank you also for being here today.

We've just heard that 10,000 regular and reserve members transition out of the Canadian Armed Forces every year.

My question is for you, Madam Douglas. What percentage of them have a transition interview?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Thank you for the question. Again, I'm going to turn it over to my colleague.

[Anne-Marie Pellerin]

I thank you for the question as well.

The Canadian Armed Forces have made the transition interview mandatory for medically released regular force and reserve force members as well as for regular force members who are voluntarily releasing. On an annual basis, we are doing upwards of about 5,000 transition interviews.

The group we're not so successful with in terms of reach is the non-medically-releasing reservist group. As part of this seamless transition task force work that is just getting under way, that is one group we will be focusing on in terms of how we can better reach and serve them and make sure they are successful in their transition.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

How soon after the decision to leave, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, does this transition interview happen?

[Anne-Marie Pellerin]

Under the enhanced transition services implemented in September 2015—and this is with the medically releasing regular force and reserve force members—for those who have a degree of complexity as determined by the CAF, in terms of the connection with the Veterans Affairs case manager, the engagement with Veterans Affairs starts at a minimum of six months before release. They are informed...there's an assessment of their potential needs and risks upon release.

The transition interview, though, happens a little bit closer to release. It's usually within a three- to four-month period pre-release, because their circumstances can change the closer it gets to release.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Thank you.

Okay. Fifty per cent of releasing members do not have a transition interview, so they do not necessarily know what services are available to them, and you do not know if they're going to need help. It's a reactive approach rather than a proactive approach for half of the transitioning members, if I understand it correctly.

Now I'm going to switch gears, General. We talked a bit about universality of service and mental health. You mentioned that our CDS is very much dedicated to making sure that the issue of mental health in the military is not hidden and that folks do seek out support. I know for a fact that's not happening, because my son just lost two classmates, and they hadn't even seen service. There is still that stigma and there is still that fear of coming forward to say, “I need help now.”

I know that when folks join the Canadian Armed Forces, there are actual medical, physical, and mental requirements to be able to join. We're talking about the few who would probably not have mental illness who are actually being selected, yet we still have a lot of suicides.

I'm concerned that it is not getting down to the ranks, right down to the students who are studying at our military colleges, that they can seek help. I'd like to know what concrete measures are happening—rather than Bell's Let's Talk initiative or twice-a-year conversations—so that our students are not suffering in silence and our active members are not suffering in silence. Could you could elaborate on that, please?

[BGen Nicolas Eldaoud]

Certainly, madam.

By the way, thank you for being the mom of one soldier, or maybe—

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Two.

[BGen Nicolas Eldaoud]

You are the mom of two soldiers. Thank you.

I didn't say that our effort toward mental health is done, not at all. We are active, absolutely, and we understand that it's not there yet. What you're referring to in terms of the military college is something I've been personally very involved in over the last few months. Currently there's a board of inquiry happening at RMC as we speak to understand what is going on, not only in terms of what the students know and what they're being told, but what the environment is at RMC. Is there something we can do? Is it the leadership? It's a very complex issue.

I didn't come here prepared to talk about mental readiness, so I don't have any statistics to give you, but let me just say this. I can assure everybody here, and actually every Canadian, that the number one priority of the leaders in the Canadian Armed Forces—the number one priority—is the care and well-being of their troops. As soon as you talk about anything that could jeopardize that, and mental health is one of them, it's our top priority.

It will take time, however. It is a societal problem. We know this. We need to deal with it. We're never going to stop looking at it. Actually, be aware that General Vance's mission on mental health—and actually he goes even further, to suicide—is to eliminate suicide in the CAF, and we're working on it. It's not to reduce it, but to eliminate it. While some people tell him that he can't do this, he says, and I may even almost quote him, “I'll be damned if I don't try.” We'll never stop working on this until we get there. Whether we do get there is something else, but we won't stop.

I'm sorry I don't have statistics to give you.

Thank you again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Go ahead, Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you very much.

I have two questions. First, and this is to VAC, do case managers have the authority to inform veterans of possible services and benefits that they may qualify for, even if the veteran hasn't put in an application? Is there a policy for case managers to review veterans' files and look for additional benefits if those have been overlooked?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Thank you for the question. I'm going to turn that over to Robert Cormier, who is the area director for Montreal.

[Robert Cormier, Area Director, Field Operations, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs]

Thank you, Ms. Mathyssen, for your question.

Yes, the role of the case manager is absolutely to get to know the veteran and the member and all of the needs that are there, and in time to inform that member of the benefits and services available through the department. It happens, though, based on a very individual assessment and individual need. Some members or some of our veterans are not capable of taking in all of the information at once, so often it will be over a number of discussions held between the case manager and the member.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

That would be an active thing, to make sure absolutely every benefit is delivered.

I had another general question about the JPSU. I'm sure you know that we've heard concerns raised about it. How do the military chain of command and the civilian chain of command interact? How do they talk to each other in terms of making sure that the outreach they provide to veterans is the best possible outreach?

[Capt(N) Marie-France Langlois]

Thank you for your question, madam.

In the integrated personnel support centres across the country, there are two streams. There is the services side, which provides the support and the knowledge and the advice on program services and benefits. Also, you have the chain of command, the platoon, which provides for the people who are posted to the JPSU and provides the leadership to the ill and injured. They work very closely together. A platoon staff member will make sure that individuals go to their medical appointments and transition appointments, and make sure that their contract for their return to duty is well done and that they find good employment within the available units on location.

They work hand in hand to make sure members have access to all the resources they need. It's two streams, but it's a one-stop shop, with family support, with Veterans Affairs support, with health services support, with the OSISS support, and with family and peer support.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

That's a bit more reassuring, because we heard that there were issues with regard to the internal audit and that these were negatively affecting the transition to civilian life for members, particularly those on medical release.

My next question has to do with the adjudication period and the 16-week service standard. We heard both from ombudsman Walbourne and from the Auditor General that this is simply too long. It has to be a shorter period.

I'm wondering what steps you are taking in terms of the recommendations of both Mr. Walbourne and the Auditor General to reduce that time?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Thank you for the question.

First I want to go back again to the fact that we are looking at ways to streamline adjudication and that we have been successful with approximately 50% of our cases. They are now meeting the 16-week service standard.

Beyond that and in terms of the real specifics, again that is outside my area of responsibility. However, I can take that question back so that the director general whose responsibility is adjudication can respond, and we can make sure that answer gets to you.

Thank you.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Okay, but did that concern expressed by both the Auditor General and Mr. Walbourne raise red flags?

You said you're meeting the 16-week service standard, but the red flag is that it needs to take much less time to meet the needs of veterans, so is there going to be a response to the Auditor General's report from the individual to whom you referred?

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

We are out of time, so it would have to be a 10-second answer.

[Elizabeth Douglas]

I will certainly make sure that he is aware of this and will pass those concerns on to him.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Go ahead, Mr. Fraser.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to return to the questions that I was asking Veterans Affairs with regard to the pilot project at the military family resource centres.

There are seven of them. When will that pilot project wrap up, and are any plans being discussed now to expand it to all those centres?

[Anne-Marie Pellerin]

The pilot project is a four-year pilot project. We've received funding over five years and we are providing that funding to the military family services program. Some lead work began about a year ago. The official launch was October 2015.

As part of the pilot project, there will be a review at the one-year point, which will help us make whatever adjustments that may be necessary, including looking at the reach of the project. Based on that initial one-year review, there may be decisions at that time in terms of how it will go forward.

Formally, the final review would be done at the end of the four years.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Thank you.

One of the things mentioned as a service is familyforce.ca. I went on that website, and it looks as if there's a lot of information there, but it looks as if it might be difficult to navigate if you're looking for something specific. I'm wondering if there's been much activity on familyforce.ca and if that is being well received and if it can be integrated with My VAC Account.