Labor and VA Have Implemented Some Elements of Their Agreement, but Data- Sharing Restrictions, Staffing Limitations, and Lack of a Comprehensive Plan Pose Challenges

Labor and VA have fulfilled some elements of their agreement to  coordinate efforts, but the agencies face a variety of challenges to fully  executing the agreement, including the lack of a comprehensive plan for  implementing the agreement and measuring progress. The national offices  of Labor and VA have implemented one of the elements of the agreement  for which they are responsible, have begun to address four elements, and  have not taken action on the others. Further, the agencies have provided states with limited  guidance on implementation. VA Has Mostly Implemented Its Five- Track Employment Program for Disabled Veterans, but the Types and Severity of Recent Veterans’ Disabilities May Pose Challenges

Although VA has almost fully implemented the Five-Track employment  program, the agency may face challenges serving the employment needs of  recently returning veterans because of the types and severity of their  disabilities. VA Has Implemented Most of Its Five-Track Employment Program for Disabled Veterans, but Some Components Are Still in Process

According to VA, officials have completed most of the seven components  needed to implement the Five-Track program. VA launched the employment resource Web site, known as vetsuccess.gov,  in 2005 to be a new supportive tool for veterans and VA staff. To address these challenges, VA told us that officials have developed  programs to provide additional resources for recently returning veterans  to receive employment services. While Employment Coordinators and Job Resource Labs in the Five States We Visited Provided Employment Assistance to Some Veterans, Similar Services Were Available Elsewhere

Employment coordinators and job resource labs in the five states we  visited provided employment services to veterans, but some of these  services were available elsewhere. Employment Coordinators Performed Direct Services, Job Development, and Outreach in Their Local Areas and Duplicated Some Other Available Resources

The employment coordinators in the five states we visited provided some  direct assistance to veterans. Most of the employment coordinators we met with also performed some  job development and outreach activities. Recommendations for Executive Action

To ensure the complete and timely implementation of the agreement, we  recommend that the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Veterans  Affairs direct VETS and VRE to take the following actions:    develop a written plan for the full implementation of the agreement  that includes long-term time frames, benchmarks by which to track  implementation at the state level, and plans for taking action in  instances when states are not fully implementing the agreement;    provide additional direction to the states on implementing the  agreement, including examples of promising practices from states,  such as strategies for sharing information;    provide technical assistance to states that are facing difficulties  implementing the agreement; and    collect and assess complete information on the progress of the states in  implementing the agreement using well-designed and appropriate  methodology, such as a systematic review of state-level memorandums  of agreements or a comprehensive survey of all locations. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our overall research objectives were to describe the status of the  implementation of the October 2005 memorandum of agreement between  the Department of Labor (Labor) and the Department of Veterans Affairs  (VA) aimed at coordinating efforts to advance the employment  opportunities for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and to  describe the status of the implementation of VA’s Five-Track employment  program, with a particular emphasis on the role of employment  coordinators and job resource labs. To address these objectives, we  conducted interviews with national Labor and VA officials and national  representatives of veterans’ service organizations. We also toured the job resource labs.
Why GAO Did This Study

To better assist veterans with service-connected disabilities seeking employment, in 2005, the Departments of Labor (Labor) and Veterans Affairs (VA) signed an agreement to coordinate employment services for disabled veterans. Around the same time, VA rolled out a redesigned employment program for these veterans, known as the Five-Track program, which also established an employment coordinator position and job resource labs. To help Congress understand the status of these initiatives, GAO was asked to provide information on (1) the progress in implementing the 2005 agreement and challenges to implementation, (2) the status of implementation of VA's Five-Track program and challenges posed by recently returning veterans, and (3) the role of employment coordinators and job resource labs in serving veterans. To obtain this information, GAO interviewed Labor and VA officials and national veterans' service organizations, and conducted site visits in five states.

What GAO Found

Labor and VA have implemented some elements of their agreement to coordinate efforts, but face challenges executing the agreement on the state level and lack a complete plan for implementing and assessing the progress of the agreement. Labor and VA have implemented one element of the agreement--establishing three joint work groups--but have only partially implemented or taken no action on the others. In addition, all five states we visited had implemented at least some elements of the agreement that need to be carried out on the state level, but faced challenges implementing others. Labor and VA have not developed an implementation plan that includes long-range time frames and benchmarks to measure progress. Further, Labor and VA have not fully assessed state actions to implement the agreement and may not have provided states with sufficient guidance. While VA has mostly implemented its Five-Track employment program for disabled veterans, the employment needs of newly returning veterans may pose challenges. VA officials have completed a pilot study, trained staff, distributed orientation materials, and deployed employment coordinators, but other components remain in process. Some officials expressed concerns that employment programs for disabled veterans--including the Five-Track program--may not be prepared to meet the needs of participants returning from recent conflicts, who VA predicts will be more likely than previous returning veterans to have certain disabilities, such as those associated with traumatic brain injuries. VA has begun efforts to address these needs. VA employment coordinators and job resource labs in the five states we visited provided employment assistance to a limited number of veterans and some of their functions were available elsewhere. Employment coordinators provided direct employment services for veterans and also performed job development and outreach activities. However, employment coordinators we met with provided limited services to veterans outside their local areas, and similar services were available elsewhere. Job resource labs provided some additional resources for veterans, but according to some staff, not many veterans are using the labs. Job resource labs also appeared to duplicate other available services.