Veterans Affairs News 
Top News
- 5 percent of federal workers to be furloughed Friday
- Congress pressures agencies to speed up office consolidations
- Katherine Archuleta chosen as next OPM director
- Data breach puts DHS workers at risk of identity theft
- DoD chooses interoperability over integration for new e-health record system
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB fuels synergy between mobile, open data
- IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'
- Accountability breakdown leading factor in DoD sexual assaults
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- VanRoekel to lead OMB management team
- Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal finalists
- Thursday federal headlines - May 23, 2013
Ex-VA hospital official faults mental health care
Veterans are waiting too long for mental health care and are unaware that hospitals sometimes manipulate records in an attempt to make it appear that standards are being met, a former Veterans Affairs hospital official told senators Wednesday.
OMB says VA should be exempt from sequestration cuts
The Veterans Affairs Department should be exempt from the automatic across-the-board cuts — or sequestration — laid out in last summer's Budget Control Act, according to an April 23 letter from the Office of Management and Budget.
Report: VA failing to provide timely mental care
Federal investigators reported Monday that nearly half of the veterans who seek mental health care for the first time waited about 50 days before receiving a full evaluation, a much longer lag-time than cited by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
VA to add about 1,900 to mental health staff
The Department of Veterans Affairs said Thursday it was increasing its staff of mental health workers by roughly 1,900, part of an effort to address a shortage of specialists and to better prepare for the medical needs of veterans returning home from war.
Online tool lets VA employees conceive career paths
John Sepulveda, the Veterans Affairs Department assistant secretary for human resources and administration, said the portal lets employees assess their skill gaps and create a plan to move up the career ladder. HUD and DLA also have initiatives to create high performing employees and organizations.
OSC protection sought for VA whistleblower
The American Federation of Government Employees has asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate the case of a VA doctor who believes she was unfairly targeted by superiors due to her critical Senate testimony.
Agencies see potential of putting HR systems in cloud
VA will award a contract for human resources services to a private sector cloud provider later this year. GSA still is in the planning stages, while the Coast Guard is refreshing its HR system that has been in a private cloud since 2003. OMB listed HR systems as a possible function to move to a shared service provider in 2012.
VA ending Microsoft licensing in 'ruthless reduction'
The Department of Veterans Affairs has reworked its relationship with Microsoft. CIO Roger Baker told In Depth that while daily operations won't change for VA employees, other vendors may be on the chopping block.
DoD awarding vet-owned contracts to ineligible firms, IG finds
Devon Hewitt, a partner at Protorae Law and a member of the American Legion's Small Business Task Force, summarizes the findings of the DoD IG report on contracting with service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
IG report uncovers 15,000 security holes at VA
The inspector general's office at the Department of Veterans Affairs said it found more than $15,000 security holes at the agency, all dealing with FISMA compliance issues.
Mobile devices and security
Charles De Sanno from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Booz Allen Hamilton's Ilene Yarnoff will talk about mobile apps and mobile security issues in the federal workplace.
April 6, 2012
Military Health System must balance old, new health IT
Karen Guice, the acting CIO for the Military
Health System, said her office is working the
Veterans Affairs Department to ensure the
transition to the new electronic health record
from legacy systems is as seamless as possible.
She said DoD and VA are working on a data
taxonomy.
April 5, 2012(Encore presentation June 14,
2012)
OSC initiative zeroes in on worst vet discriminator - the government
The Office of Personnel Management recently reminded federal agencies that the White House has "zero tolerance" for discriminating against veterans in hiring and promotions. But the federal government is still one of the biggest offenders. Patrick Boulay from the Office of Special Counsel told the Federal Drive about a new pilot program aimed at streamlining the complaint process for veterans in the federal government.
OMB launches PortfolioStat to reduce commodity IT spending
Agencies have to meet a series of milestones starting in June to eventually migrate two commodity IT functions to shared services or strategic sourcing contracts. VA, GSA, Interior and Patent and Trademark Office have tested the concept of managing by portfolios as well as vendor management organizations.
Multiple-award contracts going mainstream at VA
Iris Cooper is executive director of VA's Office of Acquisition Operations. She joined The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp at the Acquisition Excellence conference in Washington to talk about the agency's T-4 services contract.
VA, HUD to put 10,000 homeless veterans in permanent housing
The departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development want to put 10,000 homeless veterans in permanent housing with case management.
VA awards previously-terminated e-health records contract to Harris
The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a previously-terminated e-health record contract to Harris Corporation.
HUD, VA team with rocker Bon Jovi on app contest to help homeless vets
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, along with W. Scott Gould, the deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs, announced the launch of Project REACH — short for Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and the Homeless. Singer Jon Bon Jovi, who chairs the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation in New Jersey and is also a member of the White House Council for Community Solutions, was also on hand for the announcement.
Report raises concerns for homeless female vets
Federal investigators expressed concerns Monday for the safety of some female veterans who rely on homeless shelters after inspections showed women housed in shelters approved only for men.
Analysis: VA, DoD e-health contract cancellation won't affect implementation
The cancellation is only a minor setback, though, said former national health IT coordinator David Brailer in an interview with Federal News Radio's Ruben Gomez.
