VA, DoD Expand Ranks of Federal Recovery Coordinators

Key Members of Team Helping Most Severely Wounded



WASHINGTON (Jan. 14, 2010)- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki announced the hiring of five new Federal Recovery Coordinators,
bringing to 20 the number of professionals coordinating care for the
most seriously injured service members.



"Our Federal Recovery Coordinators are key members of a team of health
care professionals, therapists, case managers and other specialists, who
make up VA's comprehensive care management system for returning service
members and their families," Shinseki said.



The new coordinators will be added to the following locations, with the
total number of coordinators in each location indicated in parenthesis:



*                    Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Ga. (3);

*                    San Antonio Military Medical Center, Texas, (4);

*                    Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif. (4);

*                    Tampa VA Medical Center (VAMC), Fla. (1);

*                    Bethesda, National Naval Medical Center, Md. (3);

*                    Walter Reed Army Medical Center, D.C. (3);

*                    Houston VAMC, Texas, (1); and

*                    Providence VAMC, R.I. (1).



The Federal Recovery Coordinators program was created in 2007 to assist
service members, Veterans and their families with access to care,
services and benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), Department of Defense (DoD), other federal agencies, states and
the private sector.  Currently, the coordinators work with 419 of the
most seriously injured service members and Veterans.  The program is
administered by VA and operated jointly with DoD.



The program's clients include service members and Veterans who are
receiving acute care at military treatment facilities; diagnosed with
specific injuries or conditions; considered at risk for psychological
complication; or likely to benefit from a recovery plan.