A Veteran living part-time between a men's shelter and an apartment that also housed drug dealers had an urgent requirement for housing. The location had animal feces throughout the building, police were often called, and his belongings were not secure.
In addition, the Veteran’s service-related medical condition was causing a barrier to employment. He contacted Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC), met with a Case Manager and was given applications for the Rehabilitation Program (Rehab) and the Earnings Loss Benefit (ELB). The Case Manager referred the Veteran to community services to find housing.
The Veteran found the application process for Rehab/ELB confusing and thought a decision was forthcoming. He thought VAC would help him through the process. After a six-month wait, he contacted the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) for assistance.
My team reviewed the Veteran’s file and found that, although a VAC Case Manager had interacted with him for a few days, the Department did not walk him through the process and provide him with the personalized approach required by VAC’s case management guidelines.
We intervened by contacting VETS Canada (a non-profit organization helping at-risk and homeless Veterans) to secure adequate housing and then contacting the local VAC office to inform them that the Veteran was still at risk of homelessness. The OVO also recommended that VAC take a more hands-on approach.
As a result of our intervention, VAC immediately assigned a Case Manager who discovered that the Veteran’s Rehab/ELB application had never been submitted. With the Case Manager’s assistance, the Veteran completed the application and was approved for the Rehab Program/ELB and vocational training for a new career, and ultimately, a more promising future.