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Commissioner Hendon emphasizes the importance of experienced staff and professional development in DVS
1:07:11
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Commissioner James Hendon provides a detailed explanation of the importance of experienced staff and ongoing professional development within the Department of Veterans Services (DVS). He highlights the complexity of the roles and the time required to develop expertise.
- Hendon emphasizes that it takes years for staff to become skilled in handling various veteran challenges, especially in areas like housing and claims processing.
- He compares the expertise needed in claims processing to that of a doctor, noting that it takes 3-4 years for someone to become very proficient.
- Hendon discusses the need for continuous professional development to stay aware of changing protocols, policies, and technologies, such as the VA's new AI tool for claims assessment.
- He stresses that DVS staff need to be knowledgeable about a wide range of options (city, state, federal, public, private, nonprofit) to effectively assist veterans.
- This explanation underscores the critical role of experienced staff and ongoing training in providing effective services to veterans.
James Hendon
1:07:11
of what you said I want to speak to, it takes time to bring in folks who have certain expertise in this agency.
1:07:19
It, you know, on Lamar's side of the house as far as with housing, it takes years to have someone come in who's skilled and able to handle all these different housing challenges veterans present and understand not just the traditional programs but all the veteran affiliated programs, even offerings that nonprofits provide, etc.
1:07:36
So it takes time to have someone who is a Jedi so to speak on the housing side.
1:07:41
Same thing for claims where there's not just the training to get accredited and learn how to process the claims.
1:07:47
You've got you know Mike Bikini who runs our claims team if he was here he would say it takes about a year or so for that person to get decent at it, takes three to four years for them to get very good.
1:07:55
It's almost equivalent to a doctor providing an operation.
1:07:58
Do you want the doctor who just started figuring this stuff out or do you want a doctor who's got more reps and at bats before you go into surgery?
1:08:05
And so I think a key piece is just the it these are such bespoke roles that we have in things that we offer between the core services of burials, of housing, and of claims.
1:08:15
So I'd say that's a piece.
1:08:17
Another dynamic here is maintaining your awareness of all the goings on, of all the things that keep changing in what you do.
1:08:24
You know, they're veterans who go to lawyers to have their claims work submitted to give you an idea of just how nuanced and how tricky it can be and how bureaucratic it is and so to stay aware of different changes and protocols and policies.
1:08:35
We know the VA right now when you submit a claim they use an IBM tool that is AI now to go through that claim to provide an initial assessment etc.
1:08:44
Okay well let's learn more about the AI so we can speak to it because if the VA has fewer raters due to reduction force, folks are to rely more on the AI and we need to be able to account for that.
1:08:56
That's a professional development piece as an example.
1:08:58
And the continuum of care on the housing side also is constantly doing professional development to make sure folks are aware of, once again, city, state, federal, public, private, nonprofit options so that when you come to someone from DVS, we can speak to you about all that is available to you when
Robert Holden
1:09:12
trying to help.