During a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing in July, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) asked Nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training Jeremiah Workman about the process of placing veterans in employment.
00:09Mr. Bartram, one of the biggest complaints I hear about the VA health care services is communication.
00:17In my state of Alabama, we're very rural, and it's a huge problem.
00:23If confirmed, how will you work with the secretary in utilizing the new technology that we have?
00:30You know, for community service.
00:34Thank you, sir.
00:36The, as you know, we talked a little bit about this when I met with you.
00:40You know, rural veterans who live in the rural area are somewhere between 60 and 66% of our veterans.
00:47And so reaching out and reaching to our veterans and partnering with not only the VSOs and our service organizations that are out there,
00:55but using our technology that we have with our communication strategy, our websites,
01:03and reaching out to folks with our provider network, with our community care partners,
01:10is something that I want to look into and work with you and partner on and look at the strategies.
01:15I'm not steeped into what strategies VHA is using since I'm not in the role.
01:22But once I'm in the role, I'd love to partner with you and bring back what we're doing specifically
01:28and figure out how we can best reach out to our rural networks.
01:32Mr. Workman, in your testimony, you highlighted the need for DOL vets to focus on outcomes and performances.
01:41If confirmed, how will you ensure veterans are not just a number but instead placed in long-term quality jobs?
01:49Thank you for the question, Senator.
01:52I think when it comes to our veterans and when they're transitioning from that active status into veteran status,
02:00it is important for us to capture them as they're leaving the door in what we call the Transition Assistance Program.
02:06I believe a lot of folks are falling through the cracks and, for whatever reason,
02:12not attending TAP or just not soaking it in.
02:20I think that's where it starts is that last six months to a year before they leave active duty or reserve status.
02:29Once out into small, you know, wherever they go in America, that's generally where we start to see issues.
02:37They lose that support network.
02:40That's where our American Job Centers come into play.
02:45We need to make sure that the folks out there are properly trained and doing what they need to do to take care of our transitioning veterans and their family members.
02:54Thank you, Mr. Bartram.
02:56In May, the VA announced a policy change that would make it easier for veterans to access community care
03:01when a VA doctor determines it is in their best medical interests.
03:07What's your opinion on this announcement?
03:11I thought it was the right announcement, and it should have been done years ago.
03:15I believe that when a veteran and their doctor says they need to go to a referral on the outside,
03:21and they both agree with that, that that is enough to send them to the outside to get a referral.
03:26Thank you, Mr. Workman.
03:28As you know, the federal government is very siloed, and agencies often don't communicate with each other.
03:34It seems like we can't get information from the DOD to the VA coordinated because all the systems are different.
03:42It's been a disaster since I've been here.
03:44We spent billions of dollars.
03:45We can't seem to do it.
03:47But if confirmed, how will you improve coordination across agencies to veterans and put them first?
03:54Thank you for the question, Senator.
03:56If confirmed, you're 100% correct.
04:00We need to tighten up communications across the different departments and agencies.
04:06I feel like sometimes vets, Department of Labor vets, sometimes doesn't always have a seat at the table.
04:14And if confirmed, I can assure you that we will have a seat at the table with the DOD and also the VA
04:20so that we can better serve our veterans and their family members.
04:23Are you aware of the problems that we've had from the DOD to the, you know, all the information going from DOD to the veterans?
04:32Yes, Senator.
04:33I spent 10 or 11 years working at the VA.
04:37I've also worked for DOD in a civilian capacity, and I do know that it is a challenge.
04:44And, like I said, if confirmed, we will have a seat at the table, and we look forward to working with our counterparts.
04:52Mr. Barton, you and I talked about this, about coinciding information.
04:57You can't get something done unless you get both sides, you know, working together.
05:02What's your thoughts on that?
05:04No, I think we need to reenergize the sharing agreements of data and getting data across the system.
05:12I also think we have to do a better job of coordinating data across, within VHA and VBA, because that data needs to flow smoother.
05:24And so I think there's lots of opportunities to do data sharing within the department and within intergovernmental agencies.
05:34Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
05:35Senator King.
05:36Thank you, Mr. Chair.
05:39In many of our hearings, we have very well-qualified candidates.
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