Vocational Rehabilitation: More VA and DOD Collaboration Needed to Expedite Services for Seriously Injured Servicemembers

Abstract

More than 10,000 U.S. military servicemembers, including National Guard and Reserve members, have been injured in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Those with serious injuries are likely to be discharged from the military and return to civilian life with disabilities. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers vocational rehabilitation and employment (VR and E) services to help these injured servicemembers in their transition to civilian employment. GAO has noted that early intervention--the provision of rehabilitation services as soon as possible after the onset of a disability--is a practice that significantly facilitates the return to work. GAO examined how VA expedites VR and E services to seriously injured servicemembers and the challenges VA faces in its efforts to do so.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 14, 2005
Accession Number
AD1157562

Entities

People

  • Clarette Kim
  • Connie Peebles Barrow
  • Cynthia Bascetta
  • Irene Chu
  • Joseph J. Natalicchio
  • Margaret Boeckmann
  • Roger Thomas
  • Susan Bernstein
  • William R. Chatlos

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Active Duty
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • National Guard
  • Prosthetics
  • Rehabilitation
  • Task Forces
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Therapy
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Personnel Management and Statistics in the Military and Department of Defense