General Program Information

At Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS), we know that every
Participant is unique. No one knows the health problems that are impacting your re-
establishment to life after service better than you. You bring that knowledge to your
Rehabilitation Service Specialist (RSS) and Rehabilitation Service Professionals (RSP).
Although they are experts on what rehabilitation services may help you, both
perspectives are needed to develop a Rehabilitation Plan that is tailored to you.

The Role of Assessments

After you are found eligible for the Rehabilitation Program, you will go through a series
of important assessments. The information from the questionnaires and an Initial
Standardized Rehabilitation Assessment will help your RSS understand your
rehabilitation needs. Next, you will be assessed by a PCVRS Rehabilitation Service
Professional either in-person or virtually, depending on your needs, location, and
preference.

The goal of the Rehabilitation Service Professionals assessment is to identify the
rehabilitation needs related to your eligible health problems. They will make
recommendations for rehabilitation services that address those needs. You may be
assessed by one or more Rehabilitation Service Professional, depending on your
eligible health problems, complexity, and barriers.

For each assessment, our priority is to understand the rehabilitation potential to improve
your eligible health problem. We explore what rehabilitation treatments will address your
needs and how much time it may take to achieve your goals. The assessing
Rehabilitation Service Provider then recommends services and these recommendations
are reviewed by your RSS and VAC Case manager.

Example of Assessment

Here’s what an assessment might look like if your eligible health problems are related to
mental health:

The assessing team of healthcare providers will review your medical history to
understand your past and current mental health. Our goal is not to have you re-live your
past, but to understand your current needs. This assessment helps to identify the right
type of rehabilitation intervention and timeframe for treatment to help you move forward.

In this example, your assessment will last approximately 4 hours. It begins with a clinical interview that lasts 1.5-2 hours, followed by a questionnaire that takes approximately 90 minutes to complete (with no right or wrong answers!). This process is not structured. It’s a conversation, and we move at a pace you’re comfortable with. You will be asked questions like, what types of treatment you’ve had, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what are the main barriers that still exist today.

Once your assessment is complete, your Rehabilitation Service Professional will look at all the information and make recommendations to your RSS that aim to stabilize your health condition and provide new skills to help you manage everyday activities and relationships.

Establishing Goals

Rehabilitation health assessments and planning can help you find a renewed sense of hope. A rehabilitation-focused approach builds on your strengths and abilities to improve your functioning in everyday life.

Throughout the assessment process, your healthcare provider will ask questions designed to give the healthcare providers the information they need. These conversations are based on respect, compassion, and delivered from a trauma-informed perspective. You are in control, sharing your experiences at your own pace.

When your RSS receives your assessment information and treatment recommendations from your Rehabilitation Service Professional they will book a Rehabilitation Plan development meeting with you and your VAC Case Manager to develop a Rehabilitation Plan that is meaningful and achievable for you. Once your VAC Case Manager approves the plan, it is time for you to get to work! You will begin receiving notifications in the PCVRS Participant Portal as we schedule your treatments.

Remember, your active participation will help you get the most out of your rehabilitation experience.

Your rehabilitation journey with Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS) begins by helping you identify your rehabilitation needs and learning about how our Rehabilitation Service Specialists (RSSs) and Rehabilitation Service Professionals (RSPs) can support your success in Veteran Affairs Canada’s (VAC) Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program.

As the Participant, you play the most important role in your rehabilitation journey, but you don’t do it alone. Our “Team around the Participant” approach means that your rehabilitation team will work with you throughout your Rehabilitation Plan. During the Referral and Intake phase, you will meet with key members of your rehabilitation team, including your VAC Case Manager, your PCVRS RSS and a PCVRS RSS Case Coordinator (RSS CC). Our goal is to help you feel supported and empowered while you participate in the Rehabilitation Program.

VAC’s Rehabilitation Program is voluntary, but active participation in assessments and services is required to ensure you successfully meet your rehabilitation goals. Active participation requires you to maintain a significant and consistent effort over time to support your rehabilitation progress.

Once you are found eligible for the Rehabilitation Program, you are referred to PCVRS by your VAC Case Manager. Next, an RSS CC will contact you to provide an overview of next steps, schedule your intake interview and help you register in the Participant Portal to ensure the safe exchange of information. During this conversation, you will review and sign consent forms and complete questionnaires so that we can better understand your needs and measure your rehabilitation progress.

At your intake interview, you will discuss your rehabilitation needs related to your eligible health problem and determine if you are ready, willing and able to participate in the Rehabilitation Program. Once your rehabilitation needs are identified, we will book rehabilitation focused assessments with one or more RSPs. These important steps help to build your Rehabilitation Plan. Your RSS will act as your main point of contact for all things rehabilitation related throughout your rehabilitation journey. They will provide your VAC Case Manager with regular progress updates.

The question we hear most from Participants is, “why are signed consent forms needed?” In healthcare, privacy and confidentiality are of utmost importance. You have a right to authorize access to your information. Providing consent allows us to collect information, as required, from existing providers to determine your current treatment, and for your rehabilitation team to be able to communicate with each other.

You will be asked to complete questionnaires to support the development of an appropriate and effective Rehabilitation Plan. The questions will help you describe your challenges, experiences and feelings. You will work with your RSS to establish personalised rehabilitation goals based on your responses and your rehabilitation assessments. That’s why fully completing the questionnaires accurately is essential for creating an optimal Rehabilitation Plan. Your responses will be kept confidential and only shared with those who need them to plan, deliver or monitor rehabilitation services.

During this stage, consider what you want to get out of the Rehabilitation Program. Through PCVRS, you have access to rehabilitation-focused professionals who will work with you to achieve your rehabilitation goals to the fullest extent possible. It’s important for your RSS to understand your goals so they can tailor your Rehabilitation Plan to meet your unique needs. Make sure your voice is heard!

At Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS), we believe there is nothing more important than providing Veterans participating in the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program (RSVP) with the support system they deserve after service. Our purpose is to provide rehabilitation services on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) that support improvement in your health and well-being, life satisfaction, and employability.

What makes PCVRS unique is our “Team Around the Participant” approach, which provides fully integrated service delivery for all of your rehabilitation needs. Depending on your situation, you may gain access to medical, psycho-social and vocational rehabilitation service(s) to provide you with coordinated, rehabilitation focused care. Medical rehabilitation services are designed to improve your health to the fullest extent possible, psycho-social rehabilitation services provide tools to help you adjust to life at home, at work, and in the community, and vocational rehabilitation services aim to support job readiness and employment success.

At PCVRS, you benefit from a network of health professionals focused on providing rehabilitation focused services. Our staff is specifically trained to provide an inclusive environment that is free from discrimination, respectful of your privacy, and considerate of your unique experience as a Veteran, spouse, common-law partner, or survivor.

At the heart of the PCVRS service delivery model is you, the Participant, who plays a pivotal role for a successful rehabilitation journey, guided by your VAC Case Manager and a PCVRS Rehabilitation Service Specialist (RSS). The team will help determine the type of rehabilitation services needed to support your successful rehabilitation journey. Your initial intake interview and assessment is your opportunity to discuss any barriers caused by your eligible health problems impacting your role at home, at work, and in the community.

To determine your rehabilitation needs, you will be referred to a clinic for assessment of your eligible health problem(s). An RSP will work with you to establish “SMART” rehabilitation goals, ones that are Specific (addresses one or more eligible health problem), Measurable (describes how progress will be measured), Achievable (it is something that can be realistically achieved), Relevant (aims to improve your health and ability to function), and Time bound (includes a clear timeline for when the goal should be achieved).

After assessing your eligible health problems and creating a Rehabilitation Plan with you to address them, it’s time to get to work. During your rehabilitation journey, you will meet with your RSP either in-person or virtually and maintain your treatment plan at home as required. This may include physical exercises or accessing online training resources depending on your unique needs. You will have monthly progress meetings to discuss what’s working and what’s not, so your Rehabilitation Plan can be adjusted as necessary.

Once you’ve accomplished the goals outlined in your Rehabilitation Plan to the extent possible, or rehabilitation services are no longer appropriate, you will discuss your file with your RSS and VAC Case Manager to determine next steps. At PCVRS, we are here to support your current needs while keeping your long-term well-being in mind. We’re dedicated to providing you with the resources and care you need, so you can continue to thrive even after you complete your Rehabilitation Plan.

For more information about VACs Rehabilitation Program visit www.veterans.gc.ca or contact us at info@pcvrs.ca.