Vocational Rehabilitation

Finding jobs for disabled veterans has not been a priority of the government's vocational rehabilitation program, even though this outcome is mandated by law. In 1984, 1992, and again in 1996, GAO reported that the program focused primarily on sending veterans to training, not on finding them suitable employment. In response to these findings, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) assembled a design team in 1995 to radically overhaul the program. The following year, the design team made recommendations aimed at improving the program's effectiveness. In recent discussions with program officials, GAO found that VBA is in the early stages of implementing those recommendations. Program officials said that they are developing a strategic plan that they believe will address earlier recommendations and set forth a plan of actions for improving program effectiveness.

GAO noted that: (1) the vocational rehabilitation program has not emphasized its mandate to find jobs for disabled veterans; (2) in 1984, 1992, and again in 1996, GAO reported that the vocational rehabilitation program primarily focused on sending veterans to training, not on finding veterans suitable employment; (3) for example, GAO found that VBA placed over 90 percent of eligible veterans directly into training programs, while less than 5 percent went directly into the program phase designed to find them jobs; (4) VBA program officials stated that staff focused on providing training services because, among other reasons, the staff lacked adequate training and expertise in job placement; (5) similarly, GAO found that VBA placed few veterans in jobs; (6) for example, GAO reported in 1992 and 1996 that VBA rehabilitated less than 10 percent of veterans found eligible for vocational rehabilitation services; (7) VBA program officials stated that the primary reason for the low percentage of rehabilitations was the lack of focus on providing employment services; (8) furthermore, GAO found that VBA has not focused on assessing program effectiveness; (9) VBA's vocational rehabilitation and counseling service established a design team in 1995 to radically restructure the program; (10) in 1996, the design team made specific recommendations aimed at improving program effectiveness; (11) during recent discussions with program officials, GAO found that VBA is in the early stages of implementing the design team's recommendations; and (12) program officials stated that they are currently developing a strategic plan that they believe will address prior recommendations and set forth a plan of action for improving program effectiveness.