Implementing Supported Employment for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury through Remote Counseling During COVID-19

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Supported Employment (SE) program provides a highly individualized vocational rehabilitation service. To deliver SE, providers traditionally spend most of their time meeting in-person with veterans, employers, and clinicians. This article explores the impact...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of rehabilitation 2021-01, Vol.87 (1), p.64-70
Main Authors: Pogoda, Terri K, Keleher, Virginia, Marchany, Katelyn, Zogas, Anna, Dillahunt-Aspillaga, Christina J, Might, Ryan, Yee, Jonathan, Carlson, Kathleen F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brain
Care and treatment
Counseling
COVID-19
Disabled veterans
Employment
Epidemics
Injuries
Methods
Pandemics
Rehabilitation counseling
Social aspects
Telemedicine
Traumatic brain injury
United States
Veterans
Vocational rehabilitation
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Summary:The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Supported Employment (SE) program provides a highly individualized vocational rehabilitation service. To deliver SE, providers traditionally spend most of their time meeting in-person with veterans, employers, and clinicians. This article explores the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of SE programs for veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury. In interviews with 29 SE providers and their nine Compensated Work Therapy managers across 10 VHA medical centers, we analyzed stakeholders' descriptions of how they adjusted their practices during the pandemic. These included switching from in-person to telephone or video communications, identifying new jobs created by COVID-19 conditions, focusing on work-from-home opportunities, and finding other modalities for collaborating with clinicians. Implications for rehabilitation practice are discussed.
ISSN:0022-4154