Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 6th, 2018

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I couldn't agree more. We don't want anyone leaving uniform without everything in place, but we're far from that. Do you have any short-, medium-, or long-term recommendations on how we get there?

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

That process is under way right now. I can easily make the recommendations, because they're already there. We're working with our Veterans Affairs colleagues to make sure files move smoothly. We're examining the issue of medical file transfer, which was touched on, to make it very seamless for the individual to understand. We're adapting the process that Manulife brought out of having the individual fill out the form through a conversation versus filling out the paperwork. We're adapting that process into what some have called “concierge” or “enhanced service delivery”. I'm getting into a bit of the Veterans Affairs side, but it's the same process with the uniforms. We're enhancing the capacity and adding people into the joint personnel support units who are experts in that field, and we've already got expertise that we use right now with Manulife and within SISIP to provide them that. We have the IPSCs working with our colleagues in Veterans Affairs.

Those recommendations stand, and we're just going to make them better so that no one falls through the gaps.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I have a quick question. There are 13% who haven't filled out the forms; you said we're at 87% for who are there. Is it possible with that 13% that there are opportunities for better outreach to those who need that care? Some people might be suffering and challenged as they're getting there.

[Kathleen McIlwham]

We certainly try to work very closely to get everybody to come in. Unfortunately, there are 8% to 10% who come in after the fact. We give them a priority and try to get them in as quickly as we can. Some people, I think, are still not sure they're going to apply; not everybody who is medically released necessarily is going to apply. They may have other work to go to or other options. We're certainly encouraging them and we certainly try to act as quickly as we can when they come in.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

Mr. Fraser is next.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you all very much for being here today. This information will be helpful as we continue our study on barriers to a successful transition.

Commodore Cantelon, I would begin with you. I understand that the military family resource centres, or MFRCs, are under your purview in your role, and I know that the 32 MFRCs across the country do great work. I'm very familiar with the one in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, in my riding, and the important work that they do in helping to ease some of the stress for transitioning members and their families.

I know the government had a pilot program that initiated having access available to both veterans and their families as well, and now that's been expanded. An additional investment of $6 million was announced recently to help with the programming at the MFRCs. I'm wondering if you could speak to the good work that the MFRCs are doing and also suggest what more could be done in programs and services that they're delivering to transitioning CAF members.

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

First of all, yes, those are correct. On the MFRCs, just to nuance a bit on the funding, the $6 million came from National Defence for serving members, and over $140 million is coming—over years, not annually—from Veterans Affairs for enhanced veterans services, which are being rolled out across all MFRCs. The $6 million is annual, so it depends on how you do your math.

The MFRCs remain a very important organization for us. We know that they directly impact about 15% of families. Those are families in crisis, and they touch on up to another 50% of families in guidance. When we deal with the challenge transition—I think this is the key part—MFRCs will remain a key partner going forward. Where are we going to go with that was your question.

We are working with our colleagues through my non-public authority hat, with a memorandum of understanding between Veterans Affairs and the non-public organization, to deliver more services. At the same time, we're working with National Defence on enhanced transition, which has been nominally captured under something we call “the journey”, which is the experience of a family. That family's experience starts from the day the person walks into the recruiting centre and continues all the way through.

We're working with academic colleagues, such as through organizations like CIMVHR to look at family personas, understanding that a young family transitioning is fundamentally different from a single member who's got parents. We've now found, for instance, that we have several hundred families that have declared their parents as a dependant in that type of program.

What we are going to do in the future is get smarter at targeting the types of services to the persona of each of those families, working with our partners in the family resource centres to understand each type of family and where they are and what they need. We'll reflect that with our veteran colleagues, the idea being here that as they take off that uniform and they transition out, the family is so instrumental to a successful transition that supporting the family so they understand the stressors or non-stressors there....

We have some expertise in this, but we have not brought it to—if I was doing a sports analogy—the professional level. That's where we're going in the future. We're involved in that right now; I don't want to give the implication that we're not. The research is going on; I have a new director under the comprehensive military family plan who is leading that, working with Veterans Affairs while working inside of National Defence.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Okay. Thank you.

You also touched, in your presentation, on SISIP, and I'm wondering if you can talk about barriers to transition. When a member is transitioning from a SISIP case manager to a VAC case manager, are there any barriers there that we should be aware of, or anything that could help in that transition to make it easier for the person?

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

I think that would probably be best addressed by my colleagues at VAC and Manulife, but it's not really an and-or. It's an integrated team approach right now.

From my side, I'll let Manulife speak to how the managers deal with that, and Mr. Marcus will speak.

[Phil Marcus]

In terms of transitioning from the CAF LTD—I'm assuming, when you say SISIP, that program—as a first payer, there is an ongoing relationship with a dedicated case manager, and Manulife will speak to that.

Generally speaking, that program is designed to take someone to the point where they are capable of returning to civilian employment. Otherwise, they're fully supported to age 65 under long-term disability for a totally disabled condition.

In instances where they are transferring to a case manager at VAC, it would be a special condition for whatever reason that they need that benefit again. I don't want to call it double-dipping, but Treasury Board constantly asks us whether people are using the benefit twice. There are no real statistics, before you ask me on that, but that is not the purpose of the program. The programs are designed to run and get you a solution within the program itself.

There is coordination, however. There was a document signed between VAC and DND in 2006, and again in 2012, that allows for the coordination of case manager expertise between the two departments. Someone with complicated transition needs who needs the income support and potentially the vocational support from the CAF LTD program, once they're ready, also is coordinated through that case manager, with another VAC case manager for complicated medical and psychosocial support. That coordination between case managers is a must, and it's something that is written in a document.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Thank you very much. I'm limited for time, so I'd like to ask Ms. Douglas this question.

You talked about VAC engaging earlier in the process, and I know there has been a constant effort to try to get VAC engaging earlier on in the transition.

Do you think that VAC could engage even earlier than is happening now, and if so, what would that look like?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Commodore Cantelon and also Mr. Marcus have spoken about the program agreement that was already put in place for better-coordinated integrated services, to have case managers on earlier. Also, since 2016, we have enhanced transition services. We do have the VAC case managers there now, but we also have in place a VAC-CAF joint task force on transition, and these are the pieces that we are looking at and exploring right now: how will we make the transition easier and earlier? How do we ensure that members, when they take off their uniform, are supported during that transition? How do we ensure the benefits that they are looking for, that they have applied for, that they're eligible for, are there by the day after they take off that uniform?

Work is ongoing to expand that and enhance it. Furthermore, we do have some projects already under way. For example, we're working on and piloting right now a risk assessment tool. That risk assessment tool will identify barriers for transition, whether they be financial, whether they be physical, whether they be psychosocial. We will categorize risks in terms of high, medium, or low. We will know who really does need a case manager and how to get them to the case manager as early as required.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Is that determined in an individual interview with the person?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Yes, and then they will be run through this risk assessment tool.

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Thanks very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Bratina.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Thank you.

First of all, Ms. Douglas, you made a comment that I found intriguing: in the first quarter of 2017-2018, 76% of veterans were more employable upon completion of a vocational rehabilitation plan.

How would you define employability, to say they're more employable? I found that was interesting. In other words, they didn't graduate with a diploma to fix electrical boxes, but they're more employable. Tell me what that means.

[Elizabeth Douglas]

What we mean by “more employable”—and that is indeed one of our performance indicators—is that they have gone through a vocational program, an assistance program, and they have better skills. They have better training. We also are aware that when our veterans go through the vocational program, what they're looking for is, for the most part, some type of certification as a trade. There is some university, and some complete high school. Those are the skill sets to make a veteran more employable. We do not measure getting jobs. What we measure is the employability: having that skill set to be able to find a job.

Also, with the vocational program, we look at things such as resumé writing or any type of training they need to get them to a situation where they can be employed. Over and above, we have a program called the career transition program that also looks at things such as resumé writing and how to transfer the skills you currently have as a member into civilian life. That's what we mean by employability.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

What relationship would you have with private sector HR departments or employment officers?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

I'm pleased to speak about that.

In June of 2015, the priority hiring act was implemented. With the priority hiring act, veterans currently who have been honourably released for service attribution can receive statutory placement into the federal public service. Since June of 2015, 592 veterans have gone into the federal public service. That's between statutory hiring, in terms of that being the highest level, and a regulatory level. In addition, I'm pleased to state that Veterans Affairs Canada has hired 33 veterans since 2015.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Wow. It's probably discouraging, then, that all the good work that's being done is hidden under a basket, whereas cases of extreme disappointment make the headlines and make stories. We confront those problems all the time. It's too bad that somehow, as in police work, you only hear of the difficult situations, whereas so much good work is being done. Does that ever frustrate you at all in terms of how things are covered in those terms?

[Elizabeth Douglas]

Thank you for your question, but our guiding principles at VAC are care, compassion, and respect for all veterans and their family members, so as a result, it can't be frustrating.

What we have to then do is find ways to better engage with those veterans who feel that our services or benefits are not yet complete for them, or perhaps we've not yet met our service standards. What we do then is circle back: how do we do this better? How do we get our programs to better serve and assist with the restoration of functioning for our veterans, and how do we ensure the best well-being for our veterans?

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Yes.

Commodore, along those lines, you talked about additional staff being added for the work you do. In general terms, we'll never have sufficient resources to do everything we want, but are we moving in the right direction in terms of adequate resources to complete the job requirements?

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

I'll speak from my current responsibilities, which are the SISIP side of this and our contractor relationship on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces with Manulife.

Absolutely, we're well resourced there. The challenge has been traditionally in the transition space, which previously was an additional mandate.

While not taking away from Brigadier-General Misener's upcoming testimony, we are absolutely moving in the right direction. One of the top three priorities inside chief of military personnel command is the transition group, with recruiting being another of the top ones, so it's both ends of the in and out. Those resources are coming into place, and more will come in the future with the eventual announcement of the Canadian Forces transition group in its initial operating capacity.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

This is a carry-over from my question to Ms. Douglas on the issue of morale and well-being. If there are issues with the delivery of service but the clients feel you're doing your best for them and it might take another week, or whatever the issue is, it's okay, as opposed to saying, “Those guys, they don't know what they're doing.”