C18/2005 Requirement to enter the Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme's case management statistics into Defcare

Purpose

To advise State Offices (SOs) of the requirement to enter the Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme's (VVRS) case management statistics into the Defcare System.

Background

The VVRS is a voluntary scheme developed to assist eligible veterans, with or without a disability, who need special assistance to find, or continue in, suitable paid employment. DVA SOs administer the scheme. Policy interpretation and assistance is the responsibility of the Younger Veterans Branch in National Office.

The VVRS is one of three rehabilitation schemes currently administered by DVA. The other two being the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Scheme (MCRS) under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRCA) and the new Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme (MRCS) following passage of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA).

The Defcare System is used to administer all three schemes.  Following the introduction of the MRCA, (which took effect on 1 July 2004) modifications were made to the Defcare System's Rehabilitation Module to include the capability to record the VVRS case management statistics. Prior to this, each SO maintained their VVRS records independently.

As of 13 December 2004, Version 3.2 of Defcare is in production and the scheme's case management statistics can be recorded. Please note that the VVRS reporting functionality is yet to be finalised.

Action

As of 1 July 2005, each SO must use Defcare to record all their VVRS case management statistics. Recording data on other systems must cease on or before this date.

Using one central system to record the VVRS data will ensure that DVA meets its reporting responsibilities to Parliament and various stakeholders in a consistent and accountable manner.

Training

Training to record the VVRS case management statistics into the Defcare System has been undertaken in each SO. Written instructions were also made available at that time and continue to be available electronically by accessing the MCRS Staff Site (Start menu>Departmental>Defcare>MCRS Staff>Systems and Process Information).

Further details regarding the changes to the VVRS as a result of the new legislation can be found in Departmental Instruction No. C28/2004.

Contact officers

The Income Support contact officer for this exercise is Linda Prattley on (02) 6289 6758.