This section provides information relevant only to those who have had tertiary education assistance approved for funding by the ADF, and where the course of study has continued after separating from the ADF. The intent of this information is to outline additional considerations for this specific cohort of veterans, further to those outlined in section 9.8.1 of this library.
Overview
The intent behind supporting tertiary education is that a client will be provided with appropriate assistance to help them to achieve suitable and sustainable employment within their local labour market. To achieve this, it may be appropriate and necessary for DVA to support a client to undertake tertiary education. DVA has a responsibility to consider the cost-effectiveness of the wide range of educational options that are available to individual clients.
A Leading Aircraftman Supplier with six year service in the Supplier mustering has transferrable skills in stores work. The former member's ability to utilise those skills is limited by a chronic knee injury suffered while playing inter-service rugby. The former member then undertook a Certificate IV in Warehousing and Logistics. With some recognition of prior learning this course took six months to complete. At the end of the course the former member obtained employment as the Assistant Manager of a warehouse for a major food retailer.
Please refer to section 2.6 of the Rehabilitation Policy Library for detailed information about eligibility for Special Rate Disability Pension (SRDP).
For intermittent periods between standard review points, a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner is satisfactory.
For ongoing continuous incapacity supported by general practitioner (GP) or specialist medical opinion, no further certification is required until the next scheduled review.
In exceptional circumstances, if delegates are satisfied that new medical evidence is not required at the 6 pay review to support payment of incapacity compensation beyond 12 weeks the reasons for this should be documented.
Psychosocial rehabilitation activities need to be flexible, customisable and responsive because recovery is too complex to be predictable from one client to the next.
A focus on return to work activities too soon in the rehabilitation process can be counterproductive, and can often extend the length of a rehabilitation program. Each person’s circumstances must be taken into account, when considering the rehabilitation activities to be undertaken.
Former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with entitlements under the DRCA or the MRCA, whose accepted conditions impact on their ability to undertake or sustain employment, are eligible for vocational rehabilitation assistance. This includes "declared" members, ADF Cadets, Officers of Cadets and Instructors of Cadets.
The rehabilitation service provider is responsible for arranging and monitoring a work trial for the client. This includes ensuring that the work trial is appropriate given the client's medical restrictions and the type of work that they will be undertaking, and negotiating the terms of the work trial, including liaison with the relevant union if necessary.
Vocational rehabilitation has the aim to assist the veteran obtain or sustain suitable “good work” in the civilian workforce. Good work is defined as work that is safe, enables a person to be productive and engaged and contributes to financial stability, independence and personal interaction.
The intent of vocational rehabilitation provided through DVA is to assist clients to secure suitable work, as legislatively defined in the VVRS Instrument, Section 4 of the DRCA and Section 5 of the MRCA.
