BackOn 7 May 2024, Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine, Veterans Ombud, released her letter to the Minister of Veterans Affairs on the fairness gap currently affecting some Veterans and their relatives. According to the Ombud, Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) Veterans Independence Program policy may exclude access to care-at-home supports when Veterans’ family members live with them. “The fairness gap,” notes the Ombud, “is the result of Veterans falling between two programs.”
After receiving complaints and stakeholder concerns about eligibility issues of VAC’s two main care-at-home benefits – the Caregiver Recognition Benefit (CRB) and the Veterans Independence Program (VIP) – the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) launched a two-part systemic review. Part one, a Care At Home Resource Guide, provides information to Veterans and their families about VAC programs and benefits that support independent living at home. Part two looked for policy gaps between the CRB and the VIP and found an unfairness that may affect family members who live with and care for Veterans. Results of the review, which include a recommendation to resolve the fairness gap, are included in the letter to the Minister.
A monthly tax-free benefit, the CRB is granted only to caregivers of the most seriously ill and injured Veterans. According to Veterans Affairs Canada, only 35% of CRB applications were approved in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Funding for personal care, housekeeping, grounds maintenance and more is available through the Veterans Independence Program (VIP), but may be limited or denied through the “Relatives” section of the program’s policy, which requires decision-makers to determine what care can instead be provided by a live-in family member.
The OVO’s recommendation directs VAC to review and revise existing policy and regulatory frameworks to eliminate gaps that create additional burdens for live-in relatives who are meeting the service-related care-at-home needs of Veterans.
“When the burden of a Veteran’s service-related care needs falls unfairly on family members, the policies and programs must change” - Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine, Veterans Ombud.
Source: Veterans Ombud, Canada
