**June 4, 1987 M28‑1, Part I**

**CONTENTS**

**CHAPTER 6. COUNSELING PROCESS WORKFLOW**

**PARAGRAPH PAGE**

6.01 **Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006** 6‑1

6.02 **Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006** 6‑1

6.03 **Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006** 6‑2

6.04 VR&C Scheduling Activities 6‑3

6.05 Reimbursement for Counselee Travel, Meals and Lodging 6‑3

6.06 Veteran Fails to Keep Appointment 6‑4

6.07 Chapter 31 Counseling/Evaluation 6‑4

6.08 Privacy Act Statement and Requirements 6-6

**6‑i**

**June 4, 1987 M28‑1, Part I**

**CHAPTER 6. COUNSELING PROCESS WORKFLOW**

**6.01 Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006**

**6.02 Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006**

**6.03 Rescinded per M28, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 2, dated December
6, 2006**

**6.04 VR&C SCHEDULING ACTIVITIES**

Upon completion of initial processing of the counseling or evaluation
request, the VR&C Division will schedule the applicant for the initial
appointment. The division should establish initial appointments for
chapter 31 veterans on a first-come, first-served basis. Scheduling will
include the following actions:

**a. Pending Issue Establishment.** Evaluation and planning activities
will be controlled by establishing CC (control code) 719, Evaluation and
Planning. Other chapter 31 referrals for counseling activities will be
controlled with a pending CC 718, Rehabilitation Counseling.
Establishment of a pending CC 717, Vocational/Educational Counseling, or
769, Guidance Center Services, will be used to establish control on
counseling cases other than chapters 15 and 31.

**b. Appointment Notification.** Whenever possible, the generation of
the appointment notification letter will be made through the Target CDEV
207 screen capability or on office automation equipment. FL 28‑302 or
22‑866 may be used. The date the letter is generated, the date of the
appointment and the assigned counseling psychologist, if known, will be
annotated on the bottom of the GED printout for chapter 31 applicants or
on the bottom of the VA Form 28‑1944 for other benefit types. When
appointment letters are generated for cases other than initial
applications, an Optional Form 41 will be used to record the required
information. The Optional Form 41 will then be filed on the right flap
of the CER folder. The Optional Form 41 will be removed from the folder
and destroyed in accordance with RCS VB‑1, pt. I, item 13‑005.000 when
the client appears for the appointment or for "no‑show" clients upon
review of the scheduling activities by the VR&C Officer.

**c.** **Target Tracking of Case.** For chapter 31 cases, the CAST
command will be used to access the 320 screen. On this screen the ID
number of the counseling psychologist to whom the claimant is assigned
will be entered in the EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBLE field. The CER FOLDER
LOCATION field will also be completed.

**d. Appointment Confirmation.** A few days prior to the scheduled
appointment, the VR&C Division will attempt to contact by telephone each
veteran or beneficiary to confirm the appointment. The results of this
attempt will be documented in the CER folder on a VA Form 119, Report of
Contact.

**e.** **Veteran Reports for Counseling Appointment.** The CAST command
will be used to access the 320 screen when the veteran reports for the
first appointment for initial evaluation. The Applicant status will be
closed (reason code 02) and the Evaluation/Planning status will be
opened.

**6.05 REIMBURSEMENT FOR COUNSELEE** **TRAVEL, MEALS AND LODGING**

Counselees scheduled for required counseling/evaluation at a VA office
are entitled to reimbursement for the cost of travel, meals, and
lodging. Reimbursement for such costs may be authorized at government
expense within limits specified by law as defined in VA Manual MP‑1,
part 1, chapter 3. When the counselee lives outside the local area of
the VA office, a properly executed VA Form 70‑3542, Authorization to
Report Voucher for Mileage Allowance, may be sent to the counselee prior
to the appointment date. This form will also be used to claim meal and
lodging expenses incurred en route to and from the regional office. If a
ticket is requested for transportation, SF 1169, U.S. Government
Transportation Request, will be completed and forwarded to the
counselee. Tickets or tokens may be used to reimburse the counselee for
local travel. When the counselee reports for counseling or evaluation, a
VR&C staff member will certify on the VA Form 60‑3542 that the veteran
reported. If meals or lodging are required during the counselee's
required stay at the VA office, VA Form 70‑3266a, Request for Meal or
Lodging, may be used or reimbursement for actual expenses may be made on
the travel expense voucher, but not in excess of established station
rates (see VA Manual MP‑1, pt. II, ch. 3, par. 4e(2)).

**6‑3**

**M28‑1, Part I June 4, 1987**

**6.06 VETERAN FAILS TO KEEP APPOINTMENT**

**a. Veteran Is Service-connected Disabled**. If the veteran fails to
keep his/her scheduled appointment, the VR&C Division may make follow-up
attempts depending on the individual division's workload and personnel
resources. Follow-up activities may include telephone contact or
dictated letter.

**(1) Followup**. Followup attempts will be made including telephone
contact, if possible, or personal letter. Control code 719 will remain
pending throughout the followup process to maintain control of the case.
When successful followup results in the veteran reporting for an initial
evaluation, Discontinued case status will be closed and Evaluation and
Planning status will be opened on the date the veteran reported for
counseling.

**(2) Suspension of Claim.** When followup efforts fail to result in
rescheduling the initial appointment, the veteran will be notified by
letter that all action on his or her claim has been suspended, but that
he or she may reactivate the claim within a period of 1 year from the
original date of claim without filing a new application. The veteran
will also be informed of the effect that severance or reduction to
0 percent of the service‑connected evaluation would have on the
veteran's eligibility for the chapter 31 program. A locally developed
pattern letter may be used for this purpose. If the VR&C Division must
send a dictated letter under subparagraph a above, the division may
include this suspension notice in the dictated letter.

**(3)** **Control Code Processing.** The pending CC 719, Evaluation and
Planning, should be canceled.

**b. Claimant Falls To Keep Appointment‑Other Benefit Types.** Requests
for counseling under benefit types other than chapter 31 do not require
followup. The CER folder will be returned to the active files in the
VR&C Division.

**6.07 CHAPTER 31 COUNSELING/EVALUATION**

**a. Veteran Terminates the Counseling and Evaluation Process Prior to
Completion-Initial Followup**. If the veteran comes in for the initial
appointment, but does not return for a scheduled later appointment, the
counseling psychologist will attempt to motivate the veteran to reenter
the evaluation process. The counseling psychologist will first try to
reach the veteran by telephone. If the veteran cannot be reached by
telephone, the counseling psychologist will send him or her a dictated
motivation letter. The counseling psychologist will make this attempt no
more than 30 days after the last scheduled appointment. The veteran will
have 30 days from the phone contact or from the date of the motivation
letter to respond by requesting rescheduling of the appointment.
Evaluation and Planning case status will remain open and the CC 719,
Evaluation and Planning, will remain pending until a minimum 30-day due
process period expires."

**b.** **Veteran Terminates Counseling and Evaluation Process Prior to
Completion‑Further Followup**. Upon completion of the activity described
in subparagraph a above, if the veteran has not returned to the
counseling and evaluation process, the following actions will be taken:

"**(1) Case Status Change**. Access the Target 320 screen and change the
veteran\'s case status from Evaluation and Planning. If VA has
determined that the veteran is entitled to rehabilitation services,
change the case status to Interrupted using reason code 03 (veteran
declines services) and enter the date of the last motivation contact as
the effective date. If VA made no determination of entitlement, use
reason code 04 (evaluation not complete) and open Discontinued case
status."

**(2) Control Code Processing.** CC 719 will be cleared at this time.

**(3) Notification to the Veteran.** The veteran will be notified in
writing that action on his or her claim has been suspended. The veteran
will be advised that the claim will remain suspended for a period of 1
year from the date the veteran's claim for chapter 31 benefits was
received or until the veteran requests reactivation of the claim. The
veteran will be further advised, that, if the claim is not reactivated
within this time, a new application will be required. The veteran will
also be informed of the effect that severance or reduction to 0 percent
of the service‑connected evaluation would have on the veteran's
eligibility for the chapter 31 program. A locally prepared pattern
letter may be used for this purpose.

**c. Veteran Terminates the Counseling and Evaluation Process Prior to
Its Completion‑Final Action.** If the case (entitlement established) has
been in Interrupted status for 1 year and followup contact yields no
results or the veteran indicates no interest in pursuing the claim
further, the following actions will be taken.

**6‑4**

**June 4, 1987 M28‑1, Part I**

**(1)** The cases of those veterans with a service‑connected disability
of 50 percent or more will be reviewed by the VR&C Office.

**(2)** If the VR&C Officer's review and recommendations fail to result
in the veterans involvement in the evaluation and planning process or
the veteran has a service‑connected disability of less than 50 percent,
Interrupted status will be closed and Discontinued status will be opened
on the Target 320 screen.

**(3) Notification to the Veteran.** The veteran will be notified by
letter that the claim has been discontinued for failing to pursue the
claim (see par. 10.05).

**d. Eligibility/Entitlement Is Not Established.** If a counseling
psychologist determines that a veteran is not entitled to chapter 31
services, the following actions must be taken to terminate case
processing:

**(1) Disallowance Processing.** The CAST command will be used to access
the 320 screen using CC 719. On the 320 screen, the open status will be
closed, the SALARY PRE‑TRAINING field will be completed, and 408 will be
entered in the NEXT SCREEN field. The 408 screen will then be displayed
and a disallowance will be recorded by placing an "X" in the appropriate
reason field and entering 501 in the NEXT SCREEN field. The 501 screen
will be used to complete the authorization process. Since this action
records a disallowance of benefit, the disallowance transaction is
restricted and may only be completed by a counseling psychologist or
vocational rehabilitation specialist. The disallowance printout
generated will be signed by the authorizer and filed on the left flap of
the CER folder.

**(2) Control Code Processing.** As part of the disallowance process,
the pending CC 719 will be automatically cleared when the 501 screen
processing is completed.

**(3) Advising the Veteran.** In addition to providing the veteran with
a full explanation of the reasons for nonentitlement, take the following
actions:

**(a)** Advise the veteran of his or her entitlement to a review of the
decision by the Director, VR&E Service (227).

**(b)** Provide the veteran with a written explanation as provided by FL
28‑148 including notice of procedural and appellate rights.

**e. Eligibility/Entitlement is Established‑Training or Employment
Assistance** **Is Required.** If a counseling psychologist determines
that a veteran is eligible for chapter 31 services and an IWRP or IEAP
is developed subsequent to the initial evaluation, the following actions
will be taken:

**(1) Change of Case Status and Entry of Counseling Data.** The
Evaluation/Planning status will be closed with the date the IWRP or IEAP
is developed and signed. The next appropriate case status,
Rehabilitation to the Point of Employability or Employment Assistance,
will be opened. At this same time, the counseling data portion of the
320 screen will be completed with the appropriate entries in the DOT
CODE IWRP, SALARY PRE‑TRAINING, ENTITLEMENT EXTENSION, and SERIOUS
EMPLOYMENT HANDICAP fields (see par. 8.15). The ID number shown in the
EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBLE field should also be changed to that of the staff
member who will have primary responsibility for case management.

**(2)** **Control Code Processing.** As a part of the above transaction,
CC 719 should be taken through the 320 screen by entering the CC in the
PCLR field.

**(3) Delayed Entry Into Training.** If the veteran is to enter training
and such entry will be more than 10 days in the future, a CC 718 under
reason code 31 should be established as a future control by using the
PEST command on Target.

**6‑5**

**M28‑1, Part I June 4, 1987**

**f.** **Eligibility/Entitlement Is Established‑Extended Evaluation or
Independent Living Services Required.** If a counseling psychologist
determines that a veteran is eligible for chapter 31 services and the
veteran requires extended evaluation or independent living services, the
following steps need to be taken:

**(1) Change of Case Status.** The CAST command will be used to access
the 320 screen and the appropriate case status will be opened.

**(2) Counseling Data Entry.** The counseling data portion of the 320
screen will be completed with the entry of "data" in the ENTITLEMENT
EXTENSION and SERIOUS EMPLOYMENT HANDICAP fields (see par. 8.15). The ID
number shown in the EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBLE field should also be changed to
the number of the staff member who will have primary responsibility as
the case manager.

**(3) Control Code Processing.** As part of the above transaction, CC
719 for either IEEP or IILP development should be taken on the 320
screen by entering the CC in the PCLR field.

**(4)** **Delayed Entry Into a Program of Rehabilitation Services.** If
the veteran is to enter the program of extended evaluation or
independent living services and this entry will be 10 days or more in
the future, a CC 718 under reason code 31 should be established as
future control by using the PEST command on Target.

**6.08 PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT AND REQUIREMENTS**

**a. The Privacy Act Statement**. At the beginning of the first
interview with each veteran, VR&C staff members will provide the veteran
with VA Form 28-8739a, Protection of Privacy Information Statement, and
explain the purpose of the form to the veteran. The veteran, or the
parent or guardian if the beneficiary is a minor or incompetent, will
sign and date two copies of the form. The interviewer will give one copy
to the veteran, or parent or guardian, and will file the other copy in
the CER folder or Dependent\'s Educational Assistance folder, as
appropriate. This requirement also applies to contract counseling center
staff members who provide the initial interview.

**6‑6**