Advocate interview project

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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.