Running with a Team of Horses

Not literally running, figuratively.

Vocational programs, especially at the VA where I work at, have conflicting goals and therefore run with a team of horses that always don't work in unison.

First, there is the therapeutic side of rehabilitation. The veterans are referred to the vocational programs due to needs to make changes in their employment history.

Second, there is the business side of rehabilitation. The Medical Center contracts with our rehabilitation program to provide certain jobs to be filled by veterans in rehabilitation program.

Now, most of the time these horses play nicely. However, sometimes patients are referred to our vocational programs who are not ready to accept the yoke of employment for various reasons that will NOT be discussed in print at this time. Sometimes the referral source is not ready to accept that the patients who have a disability are able to work but CHOOSE not to work. Sometimes, patient who are referred are not able to fit into the types of programs that we offer which frustrates the referral source because they don't know WHAT to do.

Add to that mix, a little pressure cooker of the time of year, poor health on the part of yours truly, and we have a mess that is in the slow cooker at the present time.

Stay tuned.