This evaluation was conducted in accordance with Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) 2019-2024 Evaluation Plan. The plan aligns with the Policy on Results and meets the policy requirement for VAC to periodically evaluate organizational spending on programs and services.
This evaluation sought to identify ways to leverage how certain VAC program assessment criteria align to create efficiencies for Veteran clients and operational staff. The programs reviewed for alignments under this evaluation were:
- Pain and Suffering Compensation (PSC)
- Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation (APSC)
- Caregiver Recognition Benefit (CRB)
Specifically, the evaluation considered:
- If there are ways to streamline processes using alignments between the PSC’s Table of Disabilities medical impairment criteria, and the health-related assessment criteria for the APSC, and CRB programs for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans with more significant disabilities and impairments.
- If there are unintended impacts that occur between programs.
- If current program requirements provide equitable access for all Veteran applicants, regardless of biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or other identifying factors.
The findings and conclusions are based on the analysis of multiple lines of qualitative and quantitative evidence. While correlations were noted between the PSC and APSC, there was limited alignment between the assessment criteria for PSC and CRB. As a result, there are no recommendations related to CRB.
Recommendation 1a - The Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Service Delivery explore opportunities to better align the Table of Disabilities (ToD) chapters/tables 9.1 (hearing loss), 17 (musculoskeletal), 21 (psychiatric), and other conditions as determined by Medical Advisory, with the existing health-related assessment criteria for the Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation (APSC) to facilitate program access for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans assessed with more significant levels of disability and impairment.
Recommendation 1b - The ADM of Service Delivery, in consultation with the ADM of Strategic Policy and Commemoration, explore opportunities to streamline entitlement decisions for the Additional Pain and Suffering Compensation (APSC) (Recommendation 1a) by using the information captured during the initial/reassessment PSC entitlement decision.
Recommendation 2 - The Chief Data Officer, with support from the Chief Information Officer, take the necessary steps to ensure VAC has access to all data required, either through direct collection or through information sharing agreements with other partners, including Statistics Canada, to carry out intersectional analysis including data related to race, indigeneity, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, spirituality/religion, language, and education. This will support VAC’s Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Strategy and equity-based program and policy design, delivery, evaluation and reporting practices.