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.