What is the longest time anyone here has been on the REHAB program?

Contact the Ombudsman office and ask for assistance with you case manager. Explain to them that you are not getting the help you need from your case manager.

called today to change my CM, I was told that couldn't happen because everyone was at full capacity. is this BS? I hear of other people changing CM`s all the time.

Teager wrote:Record the calls that way there is still a record.

I don't have the ability to record calls, I was told using MY VAC ACCOUNT is supposed to speed up processing rather than phone/mail that's why I went to it.

Record the calls that way there is still a record. Contacting through my VAC to your case manager and having messages passed on is just time consuming and things can easily get lost or someone not notified properly. Speak to the source your CM directly and inform them you prefer using my vac for communication then at least they have an idea of what's going on.

Teager wrote:Contact your CM directly.

I don't do anything over the phone, because they are definitely not " Managing my Case"

Contact your CM directly. They can give you there number. If I called my CM directly she usually answered or got back to me within a day or 2. If I went through my VAC she usually never got back or it had to be passed on up to her which took a week or 2.

bigrex wrote:Well, you could technically request that your CM to start the process of having an assessment done for DEC, because it's becoming more and more difficult for you to remain at your job. They would request an assessment from your current psychiatrist/psychologist, if you have one. They shouldn't try to determine whether or not you CAN work, but whether or not you SHOULD BE working, BEFORE you need to put in your notice. So even though you may be physically able to show up for work, and do the job, it may be doing more harm to your mental health, than good.

My psychologist already feels I should be off work permanently.

Well, you could technically request that your CM to start the process of having an assessment done for DEC, because it's becoming more and more difficult for you to remain at your job. They would request an assessment from your current psychiatrist/psychologist, if you have one. They shouldn't try to determine whether or not you CAN work, but whether or not you SHOULD BE working, BEFORE you need to put in your notice. So even though you may be physically able to show up for work, and do the job, it may be doing more harm to your mental health, than good.

bigrex wrote:See, your age might be an important factor that VAC would look at. They could say between the time it takes to get yourself better, and then be retrained, they could decide that it's just not feasible to spend the money, because you wouldn't have enough time to have a second career, before hitting 65, and declare you DEC. That would ensure that you would get financial support for life. But you will never know, until you start the process.

If that option was 100% on the table I might look at it, but right now, to out right quit my job on a whim is too big a gamble. each vet is left to the fickleness of whoever at VAC looks at your case. Someone could look at someone similar to me and declare them DEC, and then look at me and say, I`m sure we can still squeeze some life out of this one. It will still take a while for my job to fire me as I will fight it with the labour board, etc . but this just adds to the stress I`m under. the older I get the less new job options exist for me, plus my medical limitations. Ill never start the process until I absolutely have no job left, I guess.

See, your age might be an important factor that VAC would look at. They could say between the time it takes to get yourself better, and then be retrained, they could decide that it's just not feasible to spend the money, because you wouldn't have enough time to have a second career, before hitting 65, and declare you DEC. That would ensure that you would get financial support for life. But you will never know, until you start the process.

johnny211 wrote:Unfortunately for me I just could not hold it in the job, because of bad daily head spaceing. Going back at 53, with 18 yr olds was really hard first month, but pushed thru and did it.
   So I quess in the end for you it’s all about decisions, and ones mental and physical disabilities. VVV...

I`m in the same boat.

bigrex wrote:I've heard about it paying for things like real estate courses, truck driving courses, trades courses like electrician, and computer technician training. It's supposed to be geared towards something that you have experience in, based on your military career, but that's not always the case. Plus, while going to school, they will pay for any book/software that are required, gas mileage, a new laptop/computer,  and will even pay up $75/mo IIRC, for internet.

.

Well that`s part of the problem in finding a new job for someone who spent their entire career in combat arms trades, on I resume I can write that I fired every weapon in the CAF but on civi street that amounts to nothing.

Artie Simm - Bigrex is right on the schooling. I took a machinist crse for a yr at a trades school. Everything was paid, gas, books, ppns as we used to call it, all my shop tools, which where thousands. And ELB at the same time. Unfortunately for me I just could not hold it in the job, because of bad daily head spaceing. Going back at 53, with 18 yr olds was really hard first month, but pushed thru and did it.
So I quess in the end for you it’s all about decisions, and ones mental and physical disabilities. VVV...

Voc rehab program will cover quite a lot of programs, They sent my wife to school to become a social worker for 2 years, and then paid for two additional summer courses, that she was interested in, simply because it could be used to make her resume stand out, when applying for jobs. I've heard about it paying for things like real estate courses, truck driving courses, trades courses like electrician, and computer technician training. It's supposed to be geared towards something that you have experience in, based on your military career, but that's not always the case. Plus, while going to school, they will pay for any book/software that are required, gas mileage, a new laptop/computer,  and will even pay up $75/mo IIRC, for internet. I could be mistaken, but I don't think you would qualify for the new education benefit, which is separate from the rehab program, that pays up to $80000 for a four year degree, because it's limited to 10 years following release, and I believe you are outside that window.

The 'gainful employment " reference, is more applicable to after the ELB ends, and you can start getting the CFIS, while searching for a job that pays 66 2/3% of pre-release income. But that is currently capped at $2284/mo gross, for a family of four, but the deduction calculations are different and more complex than they are for ELB.

What are the limits of "going back to school" anyway?, taking a commissionaire course? or some other minimum wage job?
My CM is encouraging me not to quit my current job, so I will hang on as long as I can for the benefits, but there will come a point where they will have to let me go. I guess at that point I`ll turn to ELB , and spin the wheel of misfortune. I wasn`t looking to double dip.