Department of Veterans Affairs Economic Development Initiative in Puerto Rico
The Department of Veterans Affairs Economic Development Initiative in Puerto Rico, specifically at the VA Regional Office in San Juan, showcases various services provided, including healthcare, benefits delivery, VR&E programs, and regional call center operations. The office, back at 100% capacity, offers benefits counseling following COVID-19 guidelines. Veteran Readiness & Employment programs aid service members and veterans with disabilities in finding suitable employment. The regional call center handles a significant volume of Spanish-speaking calls, offering orientation on VA benefits.
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Presentation Transcript
Department of Veterans Affairs Economic Development Initiative Puerto Rico VA Regional Office San Juan December 10, 2021
Regional Office at a Glance Regional Office Staffing: FTE: 226 of 240 authorized as of September 30, 2021 77% of FTE s are Veterans Location Facility Services Provided Caribbean Healthcare System VA Medical Center San Juan Benefits Delivery Benefits Delivery & VR&E Benefits Delivery & VR&E Mayaguez Mayaguez Outpatient Clinic Ponce Ponce Outpatient Clinic Community Based Outpatient Clinic Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Community Based Outpatient Clinic Community Based Outpatient Clinic Arecibo Benefits Delivery Fort Buchanan (IDES) Benefits Delivery & VR&E Guayama Benefits Delivery United States Virgin Islands Benefits Delivery & VR&E
Veterans Service Center San Juan Regional Office VA Regional Office back to 100% capacity VA benefits counseling available across Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands COVID-19 guidelines are being followed to include wearing masks, sanitizing surfaces and the use of plexi-glass shields. Virtual or in-person appointments can be scheduled by calling: (787) 772-7371 or (787) 772-7398.
Veteran Readiness & Employment The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program assists Servicemembers and Veterans with service- connected disabilities and barriers to employment prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment. Veteran Readiness and Employment Program Participants FY21: Service Total 43 12 260 62 0 26 1 404 Veterans in Applicant Status Veterans in Evaluation Veterans in Training Programs Veterans in Employment Service Veterans in Independent Living Program Veterans in Interrupted Status CH-35 Cases Total Program Participants
Regional Call Center The Regional Call Center (RCC) was established in May 2016 and provides orientation to Veterans, their dependents, and beneficiaries, via telephone, regarding the full array of benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as VA benefits available through other organizations concerned with Veterans. The San Juan RCC handles in excess of 90% of all Spanish Speaking calls VA-wide. Included are calls handled by the San Juan RCC since opening: San Juan RCC Calls Handled FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 Total 85,265 164,285 225,159 250,158 378,130 1,102,997
Economic Development Initiative As part of the Office of Transition and Economic Development s Initiative, the San Juan VARO has been able to: 12 NCC part-time employees were converted to Full-time Hire 27 applicants as part of the Hiring our Heroes Initiative in June of 2019 Hire 23 applicants as part of the Military Spouse Direct Hiring Authority Initiative in November of 2019
New Presumptive Conditions In May 2021, VA started implementing provisions of the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), adding bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism to the list of medical conditions presumptively associated with exposure to Agent Orange. A few months later VA added asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis (to include rhinosinusitis) on a presumptive basis based on particulate matter exposures during military service in Southwest Asia and certain other areas.
