1. Winston-Salem Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office
Cheryl Rawls, Director
NC Association of CVSOs Spring Training Conference
April 24, 2015

2. Overview Senior Leadership Cheryl J. Rawls – Director
Leigh Ann Skeens – Assistant Director (Human Resources, Support Services, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment)
Brian Ward – Assistant Director (Veterans Service Center, National Missions, and Public Affairs Officer)
Douglas C. Chapman – Veterans Service Center Manager
Carolyn Lightfoot – Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Officer
Staffing
787 (728 permanent and 59 temporary) (69% are Veterans)
Budget
Total: $59,559,161 (Payroll: $57,630,998, Non-payroll: $1,889,377, Travel: $38,787)
Other
3rd largest Veterans Service Center in the Nation
6th largest Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment division in the Nation

3. RO Staff Locations

4. Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
TeleCounseling
New initiative that will allow Veterans in the VR&E program to meet with their assigned VR&E Counselor from their personal computers at a mutually agreed upon time using Video Teleconferencing (VTC) technology
Saves time and eliminates the need to travel to your training facility or local VR&E office to meet with your Counselor face-to-face to obtain assistance and guidance from your VR&E Counselor
Available for Veterans in training or job seeking status in the VR&E program
VR&E hiring 17 new personnel—3 Employment Coordinators to be located at Camp Lejeune, Ft. Bragg, and the Regional Office. 
Improved balance in providing employment services to Ch31 Veterans and marketing opportunities to employers
The average pre Ch31 salary is $529. The average post CH31 salary is $3,231.  This difference is $2,702 or a 445% increase.  69% were unemployed at the time they started receiving Ch31 services.
Increased active participation rate by 5% from a low of 78% in FY14 to 83% in FY15

5. Compensation and Pension Organizational Priorities
Priority One Claims:
-Homeless, Terminally ill, Medal of Honor Recipients, Former POWs, Financial Hardships, OIF/OEF, VSI/SI, Pre-discharge, and Fully Developed Claims
-Claims pending over 125 days and Roll-Overs
-Reduction of 30 days (ADC) every 90 days
Other Priorities:
-Appeals
-Non-Rating
-Training
-Outreach
QUALITY IN ALL AREAS

6. Veterans Service Center Total Inventory
Rating Claims
Winston-Salem Veterans Service Center (VSC): 16,169
Brokered to other offices: 6,884
Pre-Discharge Claims: 8,395
Total: ,448
Non-Rating Claims: ,703
Appeals: ,064
Other Claims: ,693
Work Items: ,847
Total Inventory: ,755

7. VSC Rating

8. Station Quality

9. VSC Accomplishments FY 2015
Improved Rating Quality by 13.4 Percentage Points (Claim-Based), 3.6 Percentage Points (Issue-Based)
VSC reduced backlog by 77%
VSC reduced Rating Inventory by 62%
Outreach Events: 7,494 contacts (88 events)
Walk-ins: 3,680
Extended hours Claims Clinics

10. Hot Topics MyVA High Leverage Station
Standardized Forms – Intent To File
Outreach
Continuity of Operations/WAH
Non-Rating
Appeals
TMS Process Change

11. Changes To TMS Process
The WSRO Training Manager will no longer set up TMS accounts for non-VA employees.
Non-VA employee accounts will be set up in TMS using Managed Self Enrollment (Self Domain).
Non-VA employees must contact the Sponsor/Training Manager for instructions on setting up TMS accounts.
Non-VA employees will complete the required VA 10176, VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training, in TMS within 5 calendar days.
Non-VA employees will notify the Sponsor/Training Manager when they have completed VA
The Training Manager will validate the TMS account for the non-VA employee from the SELF domain into an active VA TMS account.
VA TMS accounts for non-VA employees should not remain in the SELF domain more than 5 calendar days.

12. VA Contact Information
Disability Compensation Inquiries
Pension Inquiries
Life Insurance Inquiries –
Education Inquiries –
Home Loan Inquiries –
Online:
General Information –
Health Care -
Applications and Forms –
eBenefits -