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Advocate interview project

Name: David Robinson

Intuition: Miami University

I chose to interview a Social worker whom deals with Veterans only. This was in the office of chemical dependency at the Dayton Ohio Veterans Hospital.  The person I spoke with asked that I not use her name. She felt that some things she might say would come back to harm her. That her, and many others feel that more should be done for our veterans.  Her time at the V.A. hospitals over her ten years has seen many things. She has worked at two other hospitals in different states.  She said that because the V.A. has devised a plan that is used at all the hospitals throughout the world.  That there is very little lead way on the use of different plans fixed to help individuals rather than large groups.

As we went into our talk, she seemed very happy that more veterans are interested in social work. This she said was only due to her Veterans has a connection within their own group that helps extend to other veterans. Shewas concerned with having making a large difference in the lives of Veterans. This she said was mostly due to the reasons why many veterans have fallen into dependency of drugs and alcohol. Which was vastly different than most of society, and the reason they have been gripped by these devices.                                     She did seem that while many are not helped, there is a group that is helped by these meetings in large groups. Many just take in the information and try to apply this to their lives. Trying to escape the drugs holds, some prescription from V.A. physicians. Many have tried to self-medicate from the many emotional pains they feel. Her thoughts on this were many would slide onto the cracks and find themselves with little to no help. Some larger programs do help the general population with issues of dependency. Veterans are not only a diverse, but also a disproportionate group that has many issues that are twined in their lives. When asked about the present obstacles she and other social workers face daily helping group with its large problems. Most of the problems seen are the huge amount of paper work the V.A. requires from them. They have fund that they must keep daily logs, and other forms that are required to be complete accurately. The program often changes which means that they have to attend new training that may require ether more paper work, or changes in styles of group meetings.

For the most part, they work with each other’s and their superiors when changes need completed.  While they can advocate for changes in this system when they attended off site meetings they feel many times changes are slow to happen, if they do happen. They have to work within the V.A. systems that are in place by the congress. One area allowed to help is the veteran is recommended to groups that are smaller if openings are available. Many of the forms required for the veteran to complete, they help the veteran.

She said,“That because all the papers reviewed daily, as they are used in the veteran’s compensation claims”. Veteran’s papers are recorded electronically for future use. This helps in preserving them; it helps in retrieving these in the future. Veterans that may move to other areas each V.A. worker can retrieve these for any needed use. Most do like this system enabling them to use some of their time more wisely. Enabling more time with the veteran’s needs. They write local representatives with concerns about process that might help the veterans receive the promise made to them.

As personally working with each other, notes left on the log as to how they feel about s certain subject, or area the veterans may be addressing.  She went on to say that due to the huge amount of veterans each social worker sees in different areas it is very difficult for them to communicate with one another. Social workers find it difficult to remember each veteran on personal bases making this process not one used.  In her opinion, “many may use this process if asked about a certain item or question that may have been asked”.  Can add an additional problem if this is not answered correctly. This problem is why she personally does not do this. Even little changes in wording or documentation can cause delays in benefits, or compensation they may be entited.

Working with the many physicians in the system, can at times strain relationships. Learning how or what a physician’s concern is can be difficult. This adds to the frustration to meet the veterans has needs, and obtain the best outcomes.  The way in the paper work must be filled out is very detailed and wording is checked by superiors. Her superiors feel that wording can reflect poorly on the system and the treatment of veterans.  This does not always reflect the real needs of any one person and delivering to that person the best possible treatments they may need. This is not to say all do this practice at all places. Some areas she has worked is vastly different on the way reporting is completed. They like keeping the documents as close as possible to the reporting the social worker does.

Advocate Interview Project

Name: David Robinson

University: Miami

Course:

Tutor:

Date:

Advocate Interview Project

            In this advocate interview project paper, it is significant to indicate that the researcher chose to carryout an in-depth interview with a social worker who deals only with the veterans. The interview was carried out at the office of chemical dependency at the Dayton Ohio Veterans Hospital. The social worker that the researcher interviewed wanted to remain anonymous fearing that some of the sentiments she would make might come back to haunt her. She has been in the V.A hospital for over ten years and is from the school of thought that more can be done for the veterans.  Furthermore, the interviewee had worked in two other hospitals in different states. Moreover, she stated that since V.A had devised a plan that is used in hospitals globally, there is minimal leeway on the use of different plans fixed to help individuals rather than large groups.

During the interview, the interviewee was happy that more veterans were becoming interested in social work. This was due to the fact that her veterans have some connection within their group that eventually help them extend to the other veterans. The interviewee stated that the groups are further aimed at making a positive difference on the lives of the veterans who had fallen into dependency on drugs and alcohol since majority were not receiving any help. The information gathered from the groups is applied by the veterans to help better their lives. Further, the interviewee stated that the veterans sometimes try self-medication with absolutely no positive result. Therefore, large programs should be developed in order to help the population on issues related to dependency. Indeed, it is significant to note that the veterans are not just a diverse group but also disproportionate with several issues twined in their lives. Consequently, in the context of challenges faced, the interviewee stated that they have a huge amount of paper work required by V.A. such as keeping daily logs and several other forms that are required to be completed accurately. Moreover, since the program keeps on changing, there are several trainings that often require paper work.

The social worker interviewed indicated that despite the fact that they do recommend for changes that should be initiated, the implementations process is very slow in cases where they actually take place. The V.A. system that is used is that which was put in place by the Congress. The veterans are also recommended to join smaller groups with openings and are consequently assisted with filling the forms. The interviewee indicated that the forms are reviewed since they are often used in the compensation claims of the veterans. The forms are recorded electronically for preservation and future retrieval. Furthermore, the interviewee indicated that the local representatives are also involved through writing regarding the process that can be adopted to ensure the promises made to the veterans are fulfilled.

Further, the interviewee stated that as a result of the huge amount of veterans that are attended to by an individual social worker, it has not been easy to actually communicate with each other. Indeed, the social worker finds it difficult to remember the veterans at a personal level. The interviewee was from the school of thought that the process should be adopted when asking a specific question. Nonetheless, it can lead to increased problem whenever the question is not answered correctly and therefore does not use the process in such cases. In this process, even the very little changes in documentation or wording can cause delays in benefits or compensations that the veterans are entitled to.

The other challenges include the fact that working with many physicians within the system is often straining and learning the concern of each one of them is difficult. This is coupled with the need to meet every need of the veterans and consequently obtaining the best outcomes. Filling of the forms is detailed and the wording is then checked by the superiors. The interviewee stated that she often indicated to her superiors that the wording can have a poor reflection on the system and the treatment of the veterans. Indeed, it usually does not reflect the actual needs of the veterans and therefore delivery of the best treatment to them is likely to be hindered. Nevertheless, the interviewee stated that the process is not applied all the time since some of the areas she has worked have different ways of completing the reports. In such instances, the documents are kept as close as possible and are able to indicate what the social worker does.

Further, the researcher asked the interviewee about the job and responsibilities where she indicated her happiness in serv.............