As part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of service delivery, a cyclical audit was conducted to review the activities of the Quebec District Office (DO), the management control framework and the information used for decision making purposes. The Quebec DO was selected based on criteria set by senior management. The objectives of the 2009-2010 audit are: * Examine the application and implementation of new delegated authorities for Area Counsellors (ACs) (Fall 2009); * Verify the efficiency of the delivery of the rehabilitation program and the integrity of internal controls over its adjudication; * Verify internal controls over the award and delivery of Veterans Independence Program’s (VIP) home care services to Canadian Forces (CF) Veterans; * Assess the adequacy of the management control framework for long term care (i.e. oversight, functional direction, reporting and internal controls). The audit focussed primarily on the implementation of the new delegation of authority at the Quebec DO and on delivery of the Rehabilitation, VIP and Long Term Care (LTC) Programs.

The Audit of the Veterans Independence Program (VIP) was approved by the Departmental Audit Committee in 2009. The objectives of the audit were to determine if: 1. up-to-date policies and procedures were in place to support program delivery; 2. program payments were accurately calculated and paid to eligible clients and approved providers; 3. regulatory and policy requirements were complied with; and 4. the quality assurance function provides an ongoing assessment of compliance requirements and identifies opportunities for improvement.

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is in the process of implementing risk management with the goal of it becoming a natural part of Departmental culture. Ensuring effective learning from experience by undertaking regular reviews of the risk management process is significant to the advancement of the maturity of this process at VAC. Thus, this review of the adequacy of corporate risk management at VAC has been undertaken. The results of the review are one year after the development of a Risk Management Framework within VAC. The maturity of the implementation and functioning of VAC’s risk management policies and practices remains a work-in-progress. The Department must plan for the long-term; recognizing that effective implementation of risk management will take time. Critical to the success of full implementation is development of risk management capacity gaps, effective communication, training and development of internal expertise, identification, definition and clarity of roles.

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) provides a wide range of health care benefits and services to eligible program recipients as specified under the authority of the Veterans Health Care Regulations. These entitlements are made available under the Treatment Benefits Program and Veterans Independence Program (VIP). The objective of these programs is to ensure program recipients are provided, according to their treatment eligibility, with reasonable and timely services that the Department considers to be an appropriate response to their assessed health needs. This audit was recommended for Deputy Minister approval by VAC’s Departmental Audit Committee on September 17, 2010. The objectives of the Federal Health Claims Processing System (FHCPS) Service Provider Audit were as follows: 1. To assess the adequacy of the service provider registration process; 2. To assess the adequacy of the requirements for service providers; 3. To determine compliance with service provider requirements; 4. To assess the efficiency of the appointment of service providers.

Since 1981, Veterans Affairs Canada has administered a community-based, national program to eligible Veterans, their families, and other primary care-givers. These services include home care, home adaptations, ambulatory health care, and intermediate nursing home care. Now known as the Veterans Independence Program, it offers self-managed care in co-operation with provinces and regional health authorities. The program allows eligible Veterans, their families, and other primary care-givers to focus on maintaining their health, independence, and their quality of life. Every effort is being made to integrate the Veterans Independence Program administration with provincial and local resources to ensure a cost-efficient choice of service is available and to avoid duplication of service delivery. Veterans Affairs Canada is responsible for setting up and amending the contribution arrangements while an external Contractor, Medavie Blue Cross, is responsible for processing the claims. In the Spring of 2011, Senior Management requested an audit of the Veterans Independence Program reimbursement process to identify opportunities to further improve the process. This audit builds off the results of a 2010 audit of Veterans Independence Program and is focused on a single objective to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the reimbursement process. The scope covered the period from November 2010 to April 2011.

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.

Our Report on Plans and Priorities is tabled in Parliament in the spring of each year. This report provides Parliamentarians and Canadians with information on the Portfolio's plans and priorities over a three-year period, based on our strategic outcomes. Also included are financial tables showing planned resources required to achieve our planned results. This report is now known as the Departmental Plan. Additional reports can be found here: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/d9459640-cfbb-47be-b591-cc94dde848cc.

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.

In 2011, Veterans Affairs Canada initiated a five-year Transformation Agenda to respond to the changing needs and expectations of the Veteran population. The goal was to fundamentally change how the Department delivers programs and services. The targeted efforts of the Department included overhauling service delivery, simplifying processes and cutting red tape for Veterans. To simplify the process for Veterans and expedite decision making, Veterans Affairs Canada case managers were given the responsibility to make medical/psychosocial decisions for Rehabilitation Program participants and to properly document these decisions. By delegating this new authority to the level closest to program recipients, case managers were expected to be more efficient and effective in responding to Veterans' needs and be more empowered in their position. To assist staff in making these decisions, the Department developed training courses for staff and introduced tools such as the six-step decision-making model. Recent internal audits have identified risks relating to the absence of quality assurance on decisions and the lack of supporting documentation on files. Veterans Affairs Canada must ensure that there are sufficient internal controls and that staff are complying with the directives of the Department when making decisions. Through interviews, documentation review, and an analysis of 120 sample files, this audit provides assurance that the delegated decision-making controls are working as intended to deliver planned results in accordance with related authorities.

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.