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THREAD: As the VA cares for 9 million vets + civilians with #COVID19, it& #39;s facing 50k vacancies — a figure larger than the Depts. of State, Labor, Ed, + HUD COMBINED.
For @theprospect, @suzannecgordon + I reveal how this crisis hurts care + how to fix it: https://prospect.org/health/trump-war-on-veterans/">https://prospect.org/health/tr...
For @theprospect, @suzannecgordon + I reveal how this crisis hurts care + how to fix it: https://prospect.org/health/trump-war-on-veterans/">https://prospect.org/health/tr...
The full scope of this crisis has recently become clear due to a provision in the VA Mission Act (a Trump privatization law) that mandates detailed disclosures of vacancy numbers. If you want to know what the situation is at your VA, here& #39;s the data: https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/va-mission-act-section-505-data">https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/v...
A 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Police cars revolving light" aria-label="Emoji: Police cars revolving light">red sirenhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Police cars revolving light" aria-label="Emoji: Police cars revolving light"> in this data: the top clinical vacancy is for psychiatrists, with 61% of VA facilities reporting severe shortages for the role. (Another top empty position: psychologists.)
If VAs top priority is truly reducing veteran suicide, it should fill these slots.
If VAs top priority is truly reducing veteran suicide, it should fill these slots.
There& #39;s also been recent @VetAffairsOIG reports that have expressed newfound urgency over the crisis. A medical center director told the OIG that neglect of this issue has created “a workforce that feels abandoned.”
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-00346-241.pdf">https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/...
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-00346-241.pdf">https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/...
A major reason for this crisis is a toxic culture/crackdown on labor/fear of retaliation. This discourages potential new recruits and is pushing long-time staff out.
Attacks on employees have been chiefly channeled through Trump& #39;s accountability office: https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2018/05/10/va-law-meant-discipline-executives-used-fire-low-level-workers/">https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investiga...
Attacks on employees have been chiefly channeled through Trump& #39;s accountability office: https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2018/05/10/va-law-meant-discipline-executives-used-fire-low-level-workers/">https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investiga...
The VA pay scale is also screwed up because no federal agency can pay an employee more than POTUS& #39; $400k salary. This makes it impossible for VA to recruit top talent + compete with the private sector. (A cardiothoracic surgeon in private sector, for instance, can earn $500k+)
There& #39;s also been a lack of political leadership on this issue. In a 2019 House hearing, @SecWilkie said "I would not be honest with you if I told you that my focus would be filling [departmental] vacancies.” This posture potentially violates U.S. codes! https://www.afge.org/article/va-secretary-to-congress-filling-49000-vacancies-not-a-priority/">https://www.afge.org/article/v...
Wilkie also ended a highly effective interim staffing program. It was cost effective and closed care gaps swiftly. His predecessor, @DavidShulkin, had wanted to expand it. (Link on the program is now dead): http://https//www.va.gov/HEALTH/travelnurse/Interim_Staffing_Program.asp
Because the department hasn& #39;t fully staffed the VA, vets are seeing long wait times or entire programs shuttered. We documented lots of reductions in care under Trump, including closure of a PTSD support groups in LA (via @latimes) https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ptsd-group-shutdown-20181229-story.html">https://www.latimes.com/local/lan...
An outpatient clinic in Buffalo, NY also closed recently: https://buffalonews.com/2018/08/09/advocates-decry-closing-of-veterans-affairs-outpatient-program-in-amherst/">https://buffalonews.com/2018/08/0...
Even a small veterans’ woodshop program in northern New Jersey became a casualty of this belt-tightening: https://www.change.org/p/reopen-the-veterans-woodshop-in-lyons-nj">https://www.change.org/p/reopen-...
. @theprospect piece is long + filled with tons more reporting into how this needless crisis was created. It ends, however, on a hopeful note, with ideas from former VA officials on how to fix it. One is to prioritize emergency hiring, which is happening now due to #COVID19.
Thanks for reading this thread. If you have a story about the vacancy crisis or another news tip re: VA, please get in touch: jclarkcraven@gmail.com
