REAL Success

Assuring the success of returning wounded and injured servicemembers and their

familiesVeterans’ Employment & Training Service

Office of Disability Employment Policy

Overview

1. Overview of the REALifelines Program

2. Program Mechanics – Referral Process

3. Main Resources4. REALifelines FL5. Future Direction and

Discussion

REALifelines

Recovery &Employment AssistanceLifelines

Overview

The program seeks to support the economic recovery and

reemployment of transitioning wounded and injured service

members and their families by identifying barriers to

employment or reemployment and addressing those needs.

Program Mission

“If you have been wounded or injured serving this nation, real people are going to meet you face-to-face with the personalized help that you may need to recover and to succeed in a career that you love.”

Secretary Elaine L. Chao To the soldiers and families at

Walter Reed Army Medical Center, October 4, 2004 

Program Purpose “This program seeks to

support the economic recovery and reemployment of transitioning wounded and injured service members and their families by identifying barriers to employment or reemployment and addressing those needs.”

Daniel Nichols, Veterans’ Employment & Training Service, USDOL

Program Goals

• Professional, personalized intervention for service members and their families during recovery and rehabilitation.

• Early access to job and career service professionals in their home towns prior to and upon discharge.

Who do we serve? Population: (All Medical Discharge)

3,000 Very Severely Injured

35,000 Wounded/Injured

Present Cases: 116

What do we track?:

Family unit no longer has employment & Training needs

No closed Cases

Mechanics I• Direct early intervention prior to discharge

• Gateway to Labor systems and services

• Identify individual and family economic, career and training needs

• Beginning of case management process

Present Locations• Walter Reed Army Medical

Center• National Naval Medical Center

(Bethesda)• Brooke Army Medical Center• Madigan Army Medical Center

* Expanding to integrate outreach to Community Based Health Care Organizations…Navy Hospitals

Mechanics II• National referral to local services

• Direct job matching and employer recruitment

Local Connections

Florida Federal REALifelines Coordinator

DVET Derek Taylor taylor-derek@dol.gov

(850) 245-7194

Local Connections

• REALifelines relays servicemember information through the DVET to the state.

• In Best Cases – the State identifies a single coordinator to monitor action and provide follow-up to DVET

• Information provided will include case work to date and contact information.

• Each referral should be fully case-managed.

Mechanics III• Increasing opportunities to ensure success

Help for YouThere are 2 dedicated call

centers available to you and to servicemembers.

• Military Severely Injured Center

1-888-774-1361• Job Accommodation

Network

1-800-526-7234

Military Severely Injured Center

• Operated by the Department of Defense

• International supportive services referral

• Will assist with all military, benefits, pay, counseling and other supportive services

• For Servicemembers, Veterans and Families only.

1-888-774-1361

Job Accommodation

• Assure your success• Help plan solutions around the

whole person and the family• Work with employers to

develop accommodation solutions

• Identify local resources to facilitate workplace accommodations

1-800-526-7234

• Primary Clients: Service Providers / Employers

• Problem Solving

• Refer Supportive Services issues

• Service Provision Follow-up

• Primary clients: Servicemembers and families

• Case Management

• Refer Employment and Reemployment issues

• Client Follow-up

1-800-526-7234 1-888-774-1361

Responsibilities

Establishing a State Initiative

REALifelines KY• Designate a REALifelines

coordinator.• Get training on workplace effects

of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• Brush-up Case Management Skills• Support each Hire by educating

employers• Begin to identify employers

seeking to hire wounded / injured

REALifelines KY II• Coordinate with

HireVetsFirst Campaign• Assure Coverage of Medical

Holding Companies and Community Based HealthCare Organizations– We can Supply

•Develop state policy for enrollment and reporting

Reaching Out

Veterans’ Employment & Training Service

Office of Disability Employment Policy

We have found that…• these men and women and their

families need to know they’re the first priority;

• they like to know their sacrifices and their service to our country is appreciated;

• their rehabilitation and treatment schedules must be acknowledged;

• their physical relocation from place to place needs to be tracked; and,

• documentation is needed on services provided and placements achieved in each location where they are served.

We have also found that…

• no individual can satisfy all a person’s needs on their own;

• referrals solely to a web page, to a brochure, or to a workstation are not good enough service;

• the service member’s barriers and needs should be clearly determined;

• the best way to ensure success is for everyone to be apprised of case progress; expect a phone call; and,

• no professional should ever be reluctant to ask for help…

Initial Questions

• How much case work has been completed?– Job Offers? Case File?

• How much time do you have?– When will service member be

discharged?• What specific assistance do

your clients need?– Training? Referrals?

Accommodation?

Understanding the need• What are their Career

Aspirations – training / education plans?

• Interest in federal employment?• Knowledge of VA Vocational

Rehabilitation benefits?• Intended geographic destination

and contact information?• Interest in state workforce

system enrollment?

Understanding…• Previous employment status?• Interest in Transition

Assistance Program attendance?

• Interest in national resume distribution?

• Perceived barriers to economic success?

• Specific services and assistance desired?

• Interest in future follow-up and program enrollment?

What to ask…(some answers)

• What are your Career Aspirations – training / education obtained and planned?

• Interest in federal employment?• Knowledge of VA Vocational

Rehabilitation benefits?• Intended geographic destination

and contact information?• Interest in State workforce

system enrollment?

Also find out…(other info points)

• Previous employment/current economic status?

• Interest in Transition Assistance Program attendance?

• Interest in national resume distribution?

• Perceived barriers to economic success?

• Specific services and assistance desired?

• Interest in future follow-up and program enrollment?

Topics to Cover• Federal Hiring Authorities for

Disabled Veterans• Introduction to the One Stop

Career Center System• Introduction to the role of

DVOP / LVER and Federal VETS staff.

• New Federal HireVetsFirst Campaign – www.HireVetsFirst.gov

• Toll Free Assistance numbers!

Recent Developments• Joint Federal Database with

DoD.• Integration with

HireVetsFirst national campaign.

• Joint Job Fairs – 14 Annual at VA / DoD treatment facilities

• MACTOOLS – Tools and Franchise offers

• 35 Confirmed Resolutions(50-60 estimated)

Nearing Completion• Enrollment Forms in OMB

Clearance (Sept. – initial use)

• Web-based assistance tool (November 2005)

• HireVetsFirst.gov - REALifelines user interface for Disabled Vets

• Web-Based Profile matching system (2006)

New InitiativesNational Expansion Programs

• Federal / Private sector enrollment program

1. One to One matching for career support during transition

2. Entrepreneurship and career exploration focus

• Federal Intern-to-hire training program

1. Federal hiring and placement program

2. Awaiting Federal Legislation