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The Department of Veterans’ Affairs. An Overview. THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) WAS ESTABLISHED MARCH 15, 1989. IT SUCCEEDED THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING FEDERAL BENEFITS TO VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
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The Department of Veterans’ Affairs An Overview
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) WAS ESTABLISHED MARCH 15, 1989. IT SUCCEEDED THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING FEDERAL BENEFITS TO VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
THE VETERAN POPULATION IS ESTIMATED AT 26.0 MILLION, AS OF THE 2000 CENSUS.
ALTOGETHER, ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE NATION’S POPULATION – APPROXIMATELY 70 MILLION PERSONS WHO ARE VETERANS, DEPENDENTS, OR SURVIVORS OF DECEASED VETERANS – ARE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR VA BENEFITS AND SERVICES.
VA’S FISCAL YEAR 2007 APPROPRIATION IS $70.0 BILLION WHICH INCLUDES $28.0 BILLION FOR MEDICAL PROGRAMS.
MISSION STATEMENT • THE MISSION OF THE VETERANS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF AMERICA’S VETERANS BY PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE, SPECIALIZED CARE, AND RELATED MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES.
PATIENTS • VA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS GROWN TO 172 MEDICAL CENTERS, WITH AT LEAST ONE IN EACH OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES, PUERTO RICO, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
VA OPERATES MORE THAN 800 AMBULATORY CARE AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINICS; 135 NURSING HOMES, 43 DOMICILIARIES AND 73 COMPREHENSIVE HOME-CARE PROGRAMS.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, VA HAS RESTRUCTURED ITS MEDICAL SYSTEM INTO 22 INTEGRATED NETWORKS.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2000, VA WILL TREAT ABOUT 673,000 PATIENTS IN VA HOSPITALS, 111,000 IN NURSING HOMES AND 26,000 IN DOMICILIARIES. • VA’S OUTPATIENT CLINICS WILL REGISTER APPROXIMATELY 37.6 MILLION VISITS.
MORE THAN 3.6 MILLION PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE CARE IN ALL VA HEALTH-CARE FACILITIES THIS YEAR.
VA MEDICAL CENTERS ARE AFFILIATED WITH 107 MEDICAL SCHOOLS, 55 DENTAL SCHOOLS AND MORE THAN 1,200 OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHYSICIANS PRACTICING IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE HAD PART OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN THE VA HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM.
EACH YEAR, ABOUT 91,000 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS RECEIVE TRAINING IN VA MEDICAL CENTERS.
VA’S MEDICAL SYSTEM ALSO SERVES AS A BACKUP TO THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DURING NATIONAL SECURITY CONTINGENCIES, FOR VA INTERNAL EMERGENCIES AND AS A FEDERAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR MAJOR CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS.
SINCE 1979, VA HAS OPERATED READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICE (RCS) VET CENTERS, WHICH PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING FOR WAR-RELATED TRAUMA, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, CASE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRAL ACTIVITIES, AND SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES TO VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
VA HAS BECOME A WORLD LEADER IN SUCH RESEARCH AREAS AS AGING, WOMEN VETERANS’ HEALTH CONCERNS, AIDS, AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES..
VA RESEARCHERS PLAYED KEY ROLES IN DEVELOPING THE CARDIAC PACEMAKER, THE CT SCAN, MAGNETIC SOURCE IMAGING AND IN IMPROVING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
193O • THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION WAS CREATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 5398, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT HOOVER ON JULY 21, 1930. AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE 54 HOSPITALS, 4.7 MILLION LIVING VETERANS, AND 31,600 EMPLOYEES.
1933 • THE BOARD OF VETERANS APPEALS WAS ESTABLISHED.
1944 • ON JUNE 22, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SIGNED THE “SERVICEMEN’S READJUSTMENT ACT OF 1944” OFFERING HOME LOAN AND EDUCATION BENEFITS TO AMERICANS. BILL WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE 78TH CONGRESS.
1946 • THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE & SURGERY WAS ESTABLISHED, SUCCEEDED IN 1989 BY THE VETERAN’S HEALTH SERVICES AND RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION, RENAMED THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IN 1991.
1953 • THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS BENEFITS WAS ESTABLISHED, SUCCEEDED IN 1989 BY THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION.
1973 • THE NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM (EXCEPT FOR ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY) WAS TRANSFERRED BY THE ARMY TO VA.
1988 • LEGISLATION TO ELEVATE VA TO CABINET STATUS WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN.
1989 • ON MARCH 15, VA BECAME THE 14TH DEPARTMENT IN THE PRESIDENT’S CABINET.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS • STRATEGIC PLAN – HIGHLIGHTS
VISION • THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR, CARE FOR, AND COMPENSATE VETERANS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR SACRIFICES FOR AMERICA.
CORE VALUES • VETERANS HAVE EARNED OUR RESPECT AND ARE OUR REASON FOR BEING. OUR COMMON PURPOSE, AND ALL OUR EFFORTS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD MEETING THEIR NEEDS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNICATING WITH VETERANS, EMPLOYEES, AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IN A TIMELY, THOROUGH, ACCURATE, UNDERSTANDABLE, AND RESPECTFUL MANNER.
WE LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF VETERANS, EMPLOYEES, AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN BENEFITS AND SERVICES, AND THE CLIMATE IN WHICH THEY ARE PROVIDED.
WE VALUE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BUSINESS PROCESSES WHICH CONSISTENTLY PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS.
WE FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES PERSONAL AND COPORATE INNOVATION, SHARING AND LEVERAGING OF RESOURCES, RISK-TAKING, AND TEAMWORK.
WE BELIEVE THAT RESPECT, INTEGRITY, TRUST, AND FAIRNESS ARE HALLMARKS OF ALL OUR INTERACTIONS.
WE VALUE A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE IS INVOLVED, ACCOUNTABLE, RESPECTED, AND APPRECIATED.
WE WILL PERFORM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETENCE ALWAYS, AND TAKE PRIDE IN ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE ARE A “CAN DO” ORGANIZATION.
THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN A MAJOR GLOBAL CONFLICT THAT WOULD PLACE LARGE NUMBERS OF TROOPS IN JEOPARDY OR REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN TROOP STRENGTH RESULTING IN A LARGE UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS AND SERVICES.
THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN AMERICAN SOCIETY WILL CONTINUE TO BE EVALUATED AND COMPETITION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING WILL BECOME EVEN MORE INTENSE THAN IT IS TODAY.
THE RECENT BALANCED BUDGET AGREEMENT WILL CONSTRAIN RESOURCES AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON AGENCIES TO REENGINEER WORK PROCESSES TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT.
SCRUTINY OF THE OUTCOMES AND IMPACT OF VA PROGRAMS AND DEMANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, CONGRESS, AND AMERICAN TAXPAYER WILL INCREASE.
CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS OF ACCURATE, TIMELY AND COURTEOUS SERVICE WILL INCREASE.