3 Agreement on the overall goal and objectives listed in the previous chapter were the eventual result of these discussions. In the second part of the data gathering effort, two types of data gathering instruments were designed for use in determining how well the objectives of the program are being met. First, a questionnaire was constructed to inquire into the performance of the program as viewed by the veterans served and other veterans potentially eligible for the program. The questionnaire, which is attached as an appendix, was mailed to a stratified sample of Vietnam Era disabled veterans that have been or currently are potential beneficiaries of the Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program. The questionnaire consists of forty-four questions, most of which relate to twelve of the specific criteria used to evaluate the program. significant number of questions, however, request information concerning the status or characteristics of veterans themselves--information of great use in analyzing the impact of the program on different groups within the veteran population. Thus, the importance of external and "given" factors such as race, cultural background, previous educational attainment, and type of disability must be taken into consideration in evaluating the actual impact of the rehabilitation and training received under the program. The adjusted response rate to the questionniare was 81.3 percent. Eight program criteria are concerned with activities which could only be examined from inside the organizational structure -- through information gathering at Central Office, regional offices, and VA medical centers. Additional relevant data concerning the management and administration of the program could also only be attained by discussion and observation of the program at the working levels. For these reasons a random sample of regional offices was selected for interviews with members of the Counseling and Rehabilitation Staff at each office and for officials of the Veterans Services Division and Adjudication Division who affect the functioning of the program. The preparation of an intelligent inquiry guide was made easier by the fact that all Counseling and Rehabilitation Sections around the country had previously sent in critical analyses of the program for a separate DVB study. From these analyses, a common core of concerns and issues were identified for use on the inquiry guide. The inquiry guide was pre-tested on a visit to the Pittsburgh Regional Office and VA Medical Centers in Pittsburgh. Thus refined, the list of approximately sixty questions was used in the actual data gathering trips to nine locations. As mentioned above, these nine regional offices were selected at random through use of random number tables, three from each DVB region. At each regional office visited, one or two nearby VA medical centers were also visited. At the medical centers, Psychology Service was the usual focus of attention, since this service has been charged by DM&S with the general supervision of vocational counseling and rehabilitation efforts for service-connected veterans who may be eligible for the Chapter 31 program. At some locations, counseling psychologists are not on duty and other hospital units may be involved in the counseling area instead. At each medical center the evaluation team reviewed the admissions process and the referral of service-connected veterans to Psychology Service or other hospital units providing counseling and rehabilitation services. A common format and set of questions were used in the interviews of medical center officials as in the discussions with regional office officials. After the field collection of data at nine locations, an additional opportunity to gather data from the Counseling and Rehabilitation staffs of regional offices presented itself. At a Central Office Workshop attended by Counseling and Rehabilitation Chiefs, the questionnaire which had been earlier administered at nine field stations was given to the Counseling and Rehabilitation Chiefs from the remaining field stations for completion and return. Twenty-nine stations did complete the questionnaire at this time. Thus, rather than simply having the replies of a random sample of nine field stations, the study team had available the replies of thirty-eight, or approximately 66 percent of all field stations. The percentages of regional offices pointed to in the study refer to these responding stations unless otherwise noted. The responses to the questionnaire provide a comprehensive and detailed view of critical issues as seen by officials most conversant with the day-to-day operation of the program. * Unless otherwise noted, veteran as used in this study refers to a Vietnam era service-connected disabled veteran. CHAPTER II LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE VA VOCATIONAL A. Background of the Current Program The current Vocational Rehabilitation Program for veterans with service-connected disabilities began with PL 78-16, passed in 1943. The purpose of this legislation was the rehabilitation of veterans through restoring employability lost by virtue of a handicap due to serviceconnected disability. This is still the overall program goal today. The benefits of the program were initially extended to honorably discharged veterans of World War II who had any service-connected disability for which compensation was payable under laws administered by the VA. Such veterans were entitled to vocational rehabilitation, if need to overcome the effects of a handicap could be demonstrated. Later benefits were extended to eligible veterans of the Korean Conflict and, in 1962, peace-time veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 30 percent or more became eligible for Chapter 31 benefits. Peace-time veterans with a disability rated at less than 30 percent might also be eligible, however, if their disability could be shown to have caused a pronounced employment handicap. Finally, in 1974, PL 93-508 placed all veterans with service-connected disabilities on the same eligibility basis for vocational rehabilitation benefits. Any veteran with a rated disability of 10 percent or more would now be eligible for the program, if need for rehabilitation could be demonstrated. Initially, the period of eligibility for vocational rehabilitation benefits was limited to six years after discharge. This has since been extended to nine years. Exceptions to termination dates for application are now provided for in hardship cases (i.e., in cases of initial medical infeasibility or where an original disability has worsened considerably, or where there are other extenuating circumstances). 6 The term "vocational rehabilitation" has been changed to include all appropriate individualized tutorial assistance as well as educational and vocational counseling and other necessary incidental services needed for the restoration of employability. It should be noted that the definition of employability under Title 38 does not mean employment per se. It means that the veteran who has trained under the program has the potential to secure employment in a certain occupational area through the completion of a training or education program. The original legislation establishing the program provided for medical care, treatment, hospitalization, and prosthetic devices as may be necessary for a veteran's rehabilitation program. Necessary books, supplies, and equipment were also to be provided veterans enrolled in the program. These provisions have remained basically unchanged. In 1958, a schedule of regular subsistence was established and subsequently rate schedules were set up for different types of training and for part-time training. Interest-free cash advances or loans also have been made available to veterans participating in the program. The legislation establishing the program also authorized the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to further the purposes of the program by: employing additional personnel and experts as necessary; utilizing and extending VA facilities; utilizing the facilities of other federal agencies or facilities maintained jointly by federal and state contributions; providing for additional training facilities as necessary through agreement or contract with public or private institutions; and cooperating with or employing the facilities of other governmental or state employment agencies in seeking employment for veterans having completed the program. Finally it should be mentioned that vocational rehabilitation services may be afforded hospitalized military personnel pending final discharge from the active armed services, if such personnel are qualified for vocational rehabilitation in every respect except for discharge. As of April 1978, 817,600 disabled veterans had trained under the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Figure 2-1 shows the numbers and percentages of World War II, Korean Conflict, peacetime, and Vietnam Era veterans who have trained and also the types of training taken by veterans of the different periods. Three-quarters of all trainees have been WW II trainees engaged in on-job, farm, or some other type of non-college training. Today the situation is radically different. Approximately 65.5 percent of all Vietnam Era veterans who have trained under the program have been college trainees and only 4.5 percent have done on-job training. Figure 2-2 points out that for current trainees this pattern is even more accentuated. Seventy-nine percent of veterans in training as of April 1978 were college trainees and only three percent were taking on-job training. Most disabled veterans train under Chapter 34 (the GI Bill) rather than under Chapter 31 (the Vocational Rehabilitation Program). Of the total in training in November 1977, 74 percent had trained only under the GI Bill, 10 percent had trained only under the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and the rest had trained under both programs. Even among the seriously disabled categories, the veterans rated 60 percent 90 percent disabled or 100 percent disabled, more eligible veterans have trained under Chapter 34 than under Chapter 31. Another important point is that the disabled veterans enrolled in Chapter 31 are, in general, more seriously disabled than those enrolled in Chapter 34. Nearly 35 percent of the veterans who enroll in Vocational Rehabilitation have disabilities rated at 50 percent or more. For the disabled veterans who train under the GI Bill this figure is only 15 percent. Also note that disabled veterans with neuropsychiatric diagnoses made up 23 percent of all veterans who use Chapter 31, but only 15 percent of those who use Chapter 34. |