Veterans Affairs case management program was established to help veterans meet their medical expenses or any difficulties in life. This is because at old age, they can barely participate in any gainful employment and thus, this program acts as the state’s reward to them for the services they rendered when they were in the days of youth. This paper will therefore focus on the standards of Veterans Affairs case management program that have lead to its success. Additionally, the paper will highlight on the specific areas of the program that need to be improved.
In essence, no country can survive without soldiers because such people are responsible for protecting our territories. When soldiers are deployed into battlefields, there are those who survive, and when they return home, they are almost torn apart. That is why the case management program was established to guarantee welfare of veterans. According to Haycock (n.d.), once the soldiers return home the Veterans Affairs program absorbs them, where registered medical personnel analyze their medical needs. The latter then refers the veterans to medical practitioners who are more knowledgeable about their respective medical conditions.
The veterans program assigns advocates to soldiers who are members of the program and assist them in getting medical attention. The advocates also assist the family members of the soldier access medical services. This initiative is noble because it would be very difficult for veterans to know which medical practitioner is ideal for their condition owing to the trauma they go through while in battlefields. The program analyzes the situation of the soldiers’ health and those with minor injuries are helped to return into active service while those who have reached retirement age are incorporated into the society (US Department of VA, 2011). In most cases, the program identifies soldiers who are out in the streets and gather them with the aim of treating and vaccinating them. This is a good idea because it is a preventive measure in the sense that it tries to reduce occurrences of illnesses.
In this light, the main objective of the Veterans Affairs program is to ensure that the former members are able to lead decent lives after they have retired. The number of soldiers who have expressed their satisfaction with the program has evidenced success in the program. This is because the needs of veterans are diverse and hence, they tend to be complex, but all the same, the program has managed to meet the needs of its members. The needs vary from unemployment, sickness and homelessness among others.
The case management program has helped soldiers secure jobs by connecting them to potential employers. The good thing about this initiative is that it helps in cutting back on federal expenses that are designated to assist such individuals. This is because once they are employed they will be able to take care of themselves and meet the needs of their families. Secondly, the program has helped veterans who abuse drugs by enrolling them in rehabilitation centers.
Walker (2000) explains that those who are able to recover are later incorporated into the society. Besides that, the veterans have also contributed to the success of the program because they are allowed to critique the areas that they feel are not satisfactory. So far, the number of veterans who are in this program has continued to rise every year. This has been caused by awareness campaigns that have enlightened the soldiers on the benefits of enrolling in this program.
As far as the veterans program is concerned, its success is owed to the advocates who have managed to multitask. The advocates have served in multiple positions simultaneously and thus, the workloads they handle may overwhelm them. Brown (2008) recommends that more advocates need to be brought on board and hence the tasks of advocates should be broken down into simpler manageable tasks. For instance, certain advocates should only assume the role of a counselor while the position of social worker should be designated for a different individual. This approach will improve the performance of the veterans program. If this issue is not addressed early, the situation will get out of hand, because the number of members in this program is anticipated to increase.
The program should also consider meeting the needs of immediate family members of the soldier. This is because the soldier would have helped them if they were not ill. It is therefore necessary to help their children go through the education system and later assist them get jobs. This will go a long way into empowering the whole family. Moreover, Veterans Affairs should hire advocates on merit to ensure that they provide exceptional services. Similarly, a central contact center should be established as one way of avoiding the clash of counsel from interested parties.
In conclusion, Veterans Affairs case management program should be mandatory for all nations. Soldiers serve in very demanding positions and thus, they should not be ignored when they are in need. The program has a mandate of protecting the interests of the soldiers to ensure that their medical needs are not neglected. This is achieved through collaboration with advocates who advice the soldiers on matters concerning their welfare. The soldiers cannot make it without the assistance of an advocate because they feel overwhelmed by their inability to meet their own needs and those of their dependants. The success of the veterans programs has been realized due to the sacrifices made by advocates to help the soldiers find themselves. The principles that led to the success of the program should be documented and recommended to other like-minded programs. Therefore, Veterans Affairs should immediately address the areas that are most likely to derail the course of the program.
References
Brown, H. D. (2008). Transition from Afghanistan and Iraqi battlefields to home: an overview of selected war wounds and the federal agencies assisting soldiers regain their health. AAOHN Journal, 56(8), pp. 343-346.
Haycock, A. D. (n.d.). Assisted Treatment. Web.
US Department of VA. (2011). Chapter 9 Special Groups of Veterans. Web.
Walker, M. (2000). Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Implementation Status Open Recommendations. Washington D.C: Diane Publishing.