## Chapter 1. General Information on the Direct Services Program

#### 1. The Mission and Responsibilities of the Direct Services Program

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains information on the mission and    |
| troduction | > responsibilities of the Direct Services Program.      |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > December 19, 2008                                     |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### a    | > The mission of the Direct Services Program is to      |
| . Mission  | > provide world-class customer service to those who     |
| of the Dir | > telephone, visit, or write the Veterans Benefits      |
| ect Servic | > Administration (VBA).                                 |
| es Program |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > The Direct Services Program is responsible for        |
| b. Respons | > providing                                             |
| ibilities  |                                                         |
| of the Dir | -   guidelines to field units via                       |
| ect Servic |                                                         |
| es Program | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Fast Letters                                        |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Training Letters                                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   M21-1MR, Part II                                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   VSCM Bulletins                                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Compensation and Pension (C&P) Service Conference   |
|            |     Call Notes                                          |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   electronic messages (e-mail), and                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the C&P Service Intranet website                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   guidance related to the                             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act (PA)  |
|            |     inquiries and responses                             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Telephone Interview Activity (TIA), and             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   Personal Interview Activity (PIA)                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   oversight of the Inquiry Routing and Information    |
|            |     System (IRIS)                                       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   quality assurance for TIA and IRIS functions, and   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   management and oversight of the Direct Services     |
|            |     website located within the C&P Service Intranet     |
|            |     website.                                            |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

#### 2. The Intake Specialist

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains information on the Intake         |
| troduction | > Specialist, including                                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the role and responsibilities of the Intake         |
|            |     Specialist                                          |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   referring a visitor to a Veterans Service           |
|            |     Representative (VSR) for an interview               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   action to take when a visitor must leave before     |
|            |     referral to a VSR, and                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   when the Intake Specialist may not make address     |
|            |     changes.                                            |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > December 19, 2008                                     |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### a.   | > The Intake Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring  |
|  Role of t | > that visitors to the Department of Veterans Affairs'  |
| he Intake  | > (VA's) receive prompt and efficient service when      |
| Specialist | > visiting VBA regional offices (ROs).                  |
|            | >                                                       |
|            | > Because the Intake Specialist is often the initial    |
|            | > personal contact a veteran or family member has with  |
|            | > VA, it is important that the Intake Specialist's      |
|            | > personal demeanor and attitude reflect positively on  |
|            | > the VA.                                               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### b. R | > The Intake Specialist is responsible for              |
| esponsibil |                                                         |
| ities of t | -   receiving all visitors and determining what         |
| he Intake  |     assistance may be needed                            |
| Specialist |                                                         |
|            | -   providing information and assistance of a           |
|            |     non-technical nature                                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   accessing the Share and Modern Award                |
|            |     Processing-Development (MAP-D) applications, the    |
|            |     Veterans Appeals Control and Locator System         |
|            |     (VACOLS), Benefit Delivery System (BDN) and the     |
|            |     Consolidated Veterans Records System (COVERS) when  |
|            |     appropriate                                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   advising visitors of Privacy Act provisions when    |
|            |     providing information                               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   referring visitors to a VSR, if a personal          |
|            |     interview is warranted, and                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   maintaining a daily record of veterans' assistance  |
|            |     interviews.                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

2\. The Intake Specialist, Continued

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| ####       | > When needed, such as for a claim-specific inquiry or  |
| # c. Refer | > to complete a claim for benefits, the Intake          |
| ring a Vis | > Specialist must refer the visitor to a VSR for a      |
| itor to a  | > personal interview. The referral process includes     |
| VSR for an |                                                         |
|  Interview | -   advising the visitor of the approximate waiting     |
|            |     time, and                                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   helping visitors who cannot wait for an interview   |
|            |     or would prefer to return at a more convenient time |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > .                                                     |
|            | >                                                       |
|            | > ***Important***: The Intake Specialist must *not*     |
|            | > conduct personal interviews.                          |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##         | > The table below shows the action the Intake           |
| ### d. Act | > Specialist takes if the visitor must leave before     |
| ion Taken  | > referral to a VSR.                                    |
| if the Vis |                                                         |
| itor Must  | +-------------------------+-------------------------+   |
| Leave Befo | | If the visitor          | Then the Intake         |   |
| re Referra | | requests\...            | Specialist\...          |   |
| l to a VSR | +-------------------------+-------------------------+   |
|            | | a telephone call        | -   records the         |   |
|            | |                         |                         |   |
|            | |                         | ```{=html}              |   |
|            | |                         | <!-- -->                |   |
|            | |                         | ```                     |   |
|            | |                         | -   visitor's name      |   |
|            | |                         |                         |   |
|            | |                         | -   visitor's telephone |   |
|            | |                         |     number              |   |
|            | |                         |                         |   |
|            | |                         | -   associated VA claim |   |
|            | |                         |     number, and         |   |
|            | |                         |                         |   |
|            | |                         | -   nature of the       |   |
|            | |                         |     inquiry, and        |   |
|            | |                         |                         |   |
|            | |                         | ```{=html}              |   |
|            | |                         | <!-- -->                |   |
|            | |                         | ```                     |   |
|            | |                         | -   refers this         |   |
|            | |                         |     information to the  |   |
|            | |                         |     next available VSR  |   |
|            | +-------------------------+-------------------------+   |
|            | | to return at a later    | informs the visitor of  |   |
|            | | time/date               | the time/day when       |   |
|            | |                         | waiting times are       |   |
|            | |                         | usually shorter.        |   |
|            | +-------------------------+-------------------------+   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

2\. The Intake Specialist, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### e    | > The Intake Specialist is responsible for entering     |
| . When the | > address changes into the beneficiary's records except |
|  Intake Sp | > in the cases shown below.                             |
| ecialist M |                                                         |
| ay Not Mak | +---------------------------+-----------------------+   |
| e an Addre | | If the address change     | Then the Intake       |   |
| ss Changes | | involves a(n) \...        | Specialist should     |   |
|            | |                           | refer the case to     |   |
|            | |                           | the\...               |   |
|            | +---------------------------+-----------------------+   |
|            | | -   nursing home          | Triage Team on *VA    |   |
|            | |                           | Form 119, Report of   |   |
|            | | -   hospital              | Contact*              |   |
|            | |                           |                       |   |
|            | | -   penal institution, or |                       |   |
|            | |                           |                       |   |
|            | | -   recipient of          |                       |   |
|            | |     vocational            |                       |   |
|            | |     rehabilitation under  |                       |   |
|            | |     38 U.S.C. Chapter 31  |                       |   |
|            | +---------------------------+-----------------------+   |
|            | | incompetent beneficiary   | Fiduciary and Field   |   |
|            | |                           | Examination Unit on   |   |
|            | |                           | *VA Form 119, Report  |   |
|            | |                           | of Contact*           |   |
|            | +---------------------------+-----------------------+   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+