By Michael Blais CD
Good news, readers. I am pleased to note there will be positive amendments to the Veterans Health Care Regulations implemented this year in respect to Mental Health Benefits. On April 1st, 2022 , policies will be revised to ensure that Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) has the capability to provide expedient mental health support to those who are coping with service-related trauma and are seeking assistance from VAC.
The current regulations stipulate that the department cannot provide direct support to the individual until after the veteran’s application has been properly processed, adjudicated, and a favourable decision has been rendered with the requested treatment options formally approved.
Until now, veterans have been confronted by an administrative nightmare, exacerbated by a stressful, time consuming, delay-incurring period wherein the veteran fulfills VAC’s requisites in order to substantiate their claim with the appropriate referrals from doctors, psychiatrists and/or psychologists.
It is very often the case that several months will pass before appointments with mental health professionals can be undertaken and the doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist complies with VAC’s documentary requirements thereby allowing the individual’s file to be formally processed.
Some delays are further exacerbated through persistent departmental staffing deficiencies and processing backlogs resulting in consequential delays of approvals, service delivery and the provision of appropriate benefits.
During the 2019-2020 assessment period, in 76% of the cases reported,VAC failed to meet the department’s delivery service standards (of 16 weeks) for veterans submitting their first application.
Privately VAC officials have admitted that they are aware of some veterans among us who have waited over two years for mental health benefits.
Objectively, our collective understanding about military-related mental trauma has evolved in quantum leaps in the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan. The impact of hundreds of Afghanistan veterans seeking assistance as they deal with very complex forms of mental trauma has forced those changes.
Veterans advocates have successfully lobbied for a variety of reforms, including a successful campaign on many levels to which the current government has been responsive through creating programs which have inarguably improved the quality of life for both the traumatized veteran, and their dependants.
However, tragic experience has defined just how vital it is to ensure formal intervention is applied in a timely manner and that the administrative delays resulting in deferment of support until a decision has been rendered, can have profound, or even catastrophic consequences.
The current restrictions as defined within the Mental Health Benefits regulations deny expedient support to the veteran until the veteran’s claim has been positively adjudicated and the treatment request is approved by the department.
This will change for the better as of April 1, 2022.
As of this date, veterans will have access to specific treatment benefits “that have been attributed to military service and pertain to disorders for anxiety, depression, trauma and stress” commencing upon the date which the application is received by VAC.
Veterans who have submitted claims that are currently in the backlog queue will be eligible for VAC’s Mental health benefits as of April 1st. Should the source of the individual’s trauma be deemed non-service-related by the mental health professionals, the veteran will be provided a two year period in which to secure resources beyond the VAC’s sphere of influence.
VAC will continue to provide mental health benefits until this period ends and these funds will not have to be reimbursed by the individual due to an adverse ruling. Veterans who have been “dishonourably” discharged yet have still endured mental trauma applicable to their military service will not be excluded.
These changes are outstanding.
Veterans residing beyond Canada’s borders, however, will be excluded. This is fundamentally unfair and willfully detrimental to these ex-pat veterans’ health, well being and quality of life. It is my long held belief that there must be total equality in recognition of national sacrifice.
Restrictions on access to medical cannabis until a claim has been formally approved will also pose a significant obstruction to a veteran’s well being and thereby create a second standard of support which is bereft of consideration for the veteran. This policy is simply focused on moderating the department’s expenses rather than on the provision of effective medication.
Hopefully, we shall not have another generation of pharmacuetical-addicted veterans when a far less dangerous, yet seemingly equally effective resource in the form of medical cannabis (particularly non-psychoactive CBD), has been provided to our veterans suffering from mental trauma for years?
Mark the date: April 1st, 2022. If your application is somewhere in the cue, reach out to VAC should they fail to notify you of the changes.
