The evaluation of Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) Disability Pension and Disability Award Programs originated in the requirement to support the renewal of the Terms and Conditions of the Disability Award Program by March 2011. The Disability Award Program is part of the New Veterans Charter (NVC) suite of programs introduced in 2006 in order to meet the needs of a shifting client demographic. The NVC represents the most sweeping changes to Veterans’ benefits and services in the past 60 years.

This evaluation of the Health Care Benefits and Services Program was conducted in accordance with Veterans Affairs Canada's (VAC) approved multi-year, risk-based Evaluation Plan 2012-2017. The Health Care Benefits and Services Program, commonly referred to as the Treatment Benefits Program, provides Veteran recipients with access to extended health care. There are 14 benefits and services groups comprising a wide range of offerings. An overview of the benefits and services can be found in Appendix A. The evaluation examined the relevance and performance of the Program, and was conducted in accordance with Treasury Board policy requirements and related Treasury Board Secretariat guidance material. The evaluation findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

Approval of a disability pension or award application requires the establishment of a relationship between the claimed disability or injury and service. Service and health records (SHR) that are held at the Department of National Defence (DND), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) are the primary means to establish this relationship. The digitization of SHRs was implemented to improve internal processes and expedite service to Veterans seeking disability benefits. The objective of the audit was to assess the management control framework, determine compliance with applicable policies and processes, and assess turnaround times and identify opportunities to improve efficiency.

The Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Disability Benefits Program provides eligible Veterans and other qualified individuals with benefits under the Pension Act and the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act. Hearing Loss is the most claimed service-related medical condition under each of these Acts. In September 2014, in response to findings presented to the Minister regarding the number of Hearing Loss claims being approved in one region of Nova Scotia, the Minister requested an audit of Hearing Loss decisions be conducted by VAC’s Audit and Evaluation Division. The objective of this audit was to assess Veterans Affairs Canada’s compliance of Hearing Loss first decisions with applicable legislation, regulations, policies and processes. The scope covered Hearing Loss first decisions for Nova Scotia applicants that had a favourable or unfavourable decision rendered between April 1, 2012 and August 31, 2014.

The evaluation of the Financial Benefits Program was conducted in accordance with the Veterans Affairs Canada Multi-Year Risk-Based Evaluation Plan 2014-19. The program was last evaluated as part of an overall New Veterans Charter Evaluation in 2010-11. The Financial Benefits Program was established in 2006 under the authority of the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act, with subsequent amendments expanding eligibility and adding programs. It provides economic support to eligible Canadian Armed Forces Veterans, survivors, and dependents in recognition of the economic impact that a career ending and/or service-related injury or death can have on a Veteran’s ability to earn income, advance in a career or save for retirement. As per Treasury Board Secretariat policy requirements and guidance, this evaluation examined the Financial Benefits Program’s relevance and performance. The evaluation findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

The Evaluation of Commemorative Benefits and Services was conducted in accordance with Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) approved Multi-Year Risk-Based Evaluation Plan 2012-17 and with the directive and standards specified in Treasury Board of Canada’s 2009 Policy on Evaluation. The evaluation covered three programs: Funeral and Burial, Cemetery and Grave Maintenance, and Honours and Awards. While the programs have differing objectives, they are all intended to reaffirm Canada's commitment to remember the sacrifices of the fallen, the Veterans, those who served our country on the home front, and those who served and will continue to serve our nation in the cause of peace throughout the world. The evaluation findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

The evaluation of the Veterans Independence Program was conducted in accordance with the Veterans Affairs Canada Multi-Year Risk-Based Evaluation Plan 2015-20. The evaluation covers the time period from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2015, and was conducted between June 2015 and January 2016. The objective of the Program is to assist eligible recipients to remain in their homes and communities as long as possible by providing financial assistance towards services which support and promote independence and health. Depending on circumstances and health needs, the Program can contribute to services such as housekeeping, grounds maintenance, personal care, access to nutrition, and health and support services. When home care is no longer practical, the Program assists Veterans to remain in their communities through financial support for intermediate care in community facilities (i.e., nursing home care). The evaluation focused on the housekeeping and grounds maintenance components of the Program because: * these two components combine for 77% of total program expenditures; and * significant changes were made to the method of payment for these components during the period of the evaluation.

Policies related to the Disability Award.

This evaluation of the Intermediate and Long Term Care Programs was conducted in accordance with the approved Veterans Affairs Canada Multi-Year Risk-Based Evaluation Plan 2012-2017. The Veterans Independence Program Intermediate Care (VIP IC) Program and the Long Term Care (LTC) Program, hereinafter referred to as "the Programs", support eligible Veterans and other individuals who require facility-based long term care. There are two types of beds under the Programs: community beds and contract beds. Community beds are beds in a facility operated by health authorities, private and not-for-profit sectors. Contract beds are beds that are set aside in a community facility pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the facility and VAC. Eligibility for these bed types varies. Community beds fall under both the VIP IC Program and the LTC Program, while Contract beds fall solely under the mandate of the LTC Program. The evaluation examined the relevance and performance of the Programs, and was conducted in accordance with Treasury Board policy requirements and guidance material. The evaluation findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of qualitative and quantitative evidence.