VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program: GAO Comments on Key Task Force Findings and Recommendations;Report to the Congress

摘要

This report responds to your request for an analysis of the findings and recommendations contained in the March 2004 report of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Task Force on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E). You requested this work as part of our ongoing review of VA's VR&E program. The mission of the VR&E program is to provide comprehensive services and assistance necessary to enable veterans with service-connected disabilities and employment handicaps to become employable, then obtain and maintain stable and suitable employment. We agreed to review and comment on the Task Force report's key findings and recommendations and make general observations about these findings and recommendations in light of our previous and ongoing work in the area. To meet these objectives, we attended Task Force public fact-finding sessions, interviewed the Task Force chairman and VR&E central and regional office staff, and reviewed and analyzed Task Force report findings and recommendations. We conducted our work in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. On May 27, 2004, we briefed your office on the results of our work. This report formally conveys the information provided during that briefing. Appendix I contains the briefing slides.