“What does a VA social worker do?”
My dad was in the arm but is home now. We see that he's struggling, and now he's being treated for PTSD. He has VA social worker in his team, and I'm just wondering, how does a VA social worker help him?
2 Answers
SocialWorkSocialworker
VA social workers provide a wide range of clinical interventions to meet the diverse needs of Veterans ranging from crisis interventions to long-term clinical interventions.
Whether arranging service member benefit payments, connecting homeless Veterans with housing resources, or counseling Veterans with injuries or trauma, VA social workers impact millions of Veterans’ lives. Practicing in every medical and Veteran center operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), their reach is exceptional. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the VA’s health care program, is the largest integrated health care network in the country.
Social work supporting veterans
VA social workers support clients with a wide range of services. Veterans’ diverse needs range from help with administrative functions to long-term clinical interventions.
Here are just some of the ways that VA social workers can help:
Assistance with access to care.
Education and assistance with financial or housing resources.
Linkage to resources from VA or community agencies.
Education and application for benefits from the VA, Social Security and other government and community programs.
Assessment and implementation of treatment approaches which address needs related to social determinants of health.
Facilitate Veteran communication with interprofessional healthcare teams on goals of care discussions and advanced care planning.
Education and linkage to resources offering support for caregivers.
Provision of case management.
Provision of counseling and other evidence based therapeutic interventions.
Whether arranging service member benefit payments, connecting homeless Veterans with housing resources, or counseling Veterans with injuries or trauma, VA social workers impact millions of Veterans’ lives. Practicing in every medical and Veteran center operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), their reach is exceptional. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the VA’s health care program, is the largest integrated health care network in the country.
Social work supporting veterans
VA social workers support clients with a wide range of services. Veterans’ diverse needs range from help with administrative functions to long-term clinical interventions.
Here are just some of the ways that VA social workers can help:
Assistance with access to care.
Education and assistance with financial or housing resources.
Linkage to resources from VA or community agencies.
Education and application for benefits from the VA, Social Security and other government and community programs.
Assessment and implementation of treatment approaches which address needs related to social determinants of health.
Facilitate Veteran communication with interprofessional healthcare teams on goals of care discussions and advanced care planning.
Education and linkage to resources offering support for caregivers.
Provision of case management.
Provision of counseling and other evidence based therapeutic interventions.
Thank you for reaching out. The social worker may hold many different roles in the VA system. It may be helpful to ask them directly which role they are acting in for your father. There could be the therapist, the caseworker, the resource specialist, etc. No matter which role, the are assigned for a reason, I am hoping they are acting in the capacity of therapist. If not, please work with him to seek help through the VA or through the local Vet Center, USO, DAV or if you have one, Team RWB. Respectfully,=20 Brienna Thompson, LCSW, MSW (619) 368-1774
