To Receive The Report Of Vas Vocational Rehabilitation And Employment Service Task Force PDF Download

In 2004, the Veterans Affairs' Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR & E) program was reviewed by a VR & E Task Force. It recommended numerous changes, in particular focusing on employment through a new Five-Track service delivery model and increasing program capacity. Since then, VR & E has worked to implement these recommendations. To help Congress understand whether VR & E is now better prepared to meet the needs of veterans with disabilities, GAO was asked to determine (1) how the implementation of the Five-Track Employment Process has affected VR & E's focus on employment, (2) the extent to which VR & E has taken steps to improve its capacity, and (3) how program outcomes are reported. To ensure VR & E can meet the needs of veterans, GAO recommends that VR & E consider cost-effective options to align the program's financial incentives with its employment mission as well as engage in a strategic workforce planning process that collects and uses relevant data. Additionally, GAO recommends that VA improve the transparency of reports on VR & E program performance.