Question Period Note: TRANSITION SERVICES

• Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) works hand in hand with the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP to ensure Veterans are supported through every stage of their transition to life after service.
• On average, 7,800 military members release from the Canadian Armed Forces each year. Our goal is simple: deliver a transition experience that’s standardized, personalized, and professional—empowering CAF and RCMP members, Veterans, and their families at each step of their journey.
• VAC has improved how we connect with Veterans including: enhancing digital tools, promoting early registration on My VAC Account, and raising awareness of the supports available.
• These initiatives and more are making it easier throughout the process to focus on what matters most – supporting the well-being of those who’ve served and their families.

Veterans Affairs Canada began providing a form of transition assistance on Canadian Forces Bases and Wings in 2003. Since that time, we have continued to develop and improve our service delivery model in response to the needs of transitioning Canadian Armed Forces Members and their families.
A Transition Interview with wellness screening is available to all releasing Regular and Reserve Force CAF members, RCMP and families of both groups. A transition interview is administered to members up to six months prior to release. The Transition Interview provides an opportunity to:
• Screen for potential risks and/or barriers which may impact a member’s successful transition to life after service;
• Determine the level of support/intervention required from VAC and other community support systems to address identified unmet need(s);
• Provide members and their families with information about or access to the full range of VAC, programs, services and benefits
During the interview, a screening tool is used and can be administered again at various points in time to identify potential risk levels, unmet needs and concerns. This tool was developed using the domains of well-being and is evidence-based. Low risk clients typically are able to self-manage and do not require ongoing support. Many clients identified as moderate risk may benefit from guided support and ongoing monitoring for a brief period of time. High risk clients may benefit from some type of further assessment (ie. case management or health professional) and more intensive and ongoing monitoring and follow up.
Enhanced Transition Services is a joint CAF-VAC process to support medically releasing CAF members and their families. It provides joint case consultation and coordinated case planning to support a successful and seamless transition to civilian life. This was implemented in 2015.
The new Military to Civilian Transition process addresses the gap within the CAF between medically and non-medically releasing members, and provides a standardized, personalized and professional transition process for non-medically releasing members and their families. VAC staff, CAF transition advisors and Military Family Services staff support the transitioning members by jointly offering assistance and transition planning. National implementation is complete as of March 2024.

2024 Canadian Veteran Health Survey
• 17.7% of Veterans described the transition to life after service as difficult.
VAC 2024 National Client Survey
33% of Veterans experienced difficulties transitioning to civilian life.
CAF Release Statistics
• On average, 7,800 military members release from the CAF each year (10-year average)
o 2,000 are medical releases
o 5,800 are non-medical releases
• In FY 24/25, 8,918 military members released from the CAF.
o 2,486 were medical releases
o 6,432 were non-medical releases
• In FY 23/24, 6,132 military members released from the CAF.
o 1,700 were medical releases
o 4,432 were non-medical releases
Transition Interviews
• Transition Interviews Finalized in FY 25/26: 4,667
• Transition Interviews Finalized in FY 24/25: 5,569
Transition Centres
• VAC staff has a full or part time presence in all 28 CAF Transition Centres and 4 satellite locations, located on Bases/Wings across the country.
• Provision of transition support through transition interviews for more than 20 years.
• Integrated presence since 2009
• Enhanced Transition Services for medically releasing implemented in 2015
• Military to Civilian Transition process for non-medically releasing implemented nationally in 2024.