Income Recovery after Participation in the Rehabilitation Program

Abstract: The New Veterans Charter (NVC) was introduced in 2006. Previously, post-Korean War Veterans applied for compensation under the Pension Act. The intent of the NVC was to offer, in lieu of a monthly pension cheque, a suite of benefits and services that encourages wellness and rehabilitation and is consistent with the modern principles of the management of disability. Part of modernizing compensation was to separate compensation for economic loss from compensation for non-economic loss. This dual approach is similar to that used by other countries providing Veteran compensation, such as the UK and Australia who both adopted dual award approaches prior to Canada, and Workers Compensation Boards in Canada (MacLean and Pound, 2014). Currently, the income study portion of the Life After Service Studies (LASS) follows the incomes of Veterans one year prior to release, the release year and up to 13 years postrelease. However, many enter the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program years after release from the military. To date, the incomes of clients have only been examined while they were still participating in the program but not after participating in the program. This study follows the incomes of program clients over time using the 2013 LASS income study data. The Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program (Rehabilitation Program), initiated in April 2006 as part of the NVC, was designed to reduce barriers that limit Veterans' roles in the workplace, home or community. As of March 2013, there were 5,866 program clients and another 2,342 who had completed the program for a total of 8,208. Clients who completed the program included those who successfully completed the program (85%), those who became eligible for the program but were later found to not require rehabilitation (11%) as well as those deemed totally and permanently incapacitated (25%). Clients deemed TPI includes some who successfully completed the program. The aim of this study is to examine the incomes of Veterans who have completed the Rehabilitation program.