Inspection of VA Regional Office Togus, ME

The Benefits Inspection Division conducts inspections at VA Regional Offices (VAROs) to review disability compensation claims processing and Veterans Service Center (VSC) operations. The VARO management team needs to improve the accuracy of disability claims processing and provide additional oversight of personnel responsible for claims identified as temporary 100 percent disability evaluations, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and disabilities related to herbicide exposure. VARO management attributed this to inadequate staff training and management oversight. Management also needs to improve controls over correcting errors identified by the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR), safeguarding of veterans’ Personally Identifiable Information (PII), handling of claims-related mail, and processing adjustments for incompetent veterans’ fiduciary claims correctly. We recommended the VARO improve oversight of the processing of temporary 100 percent evaluations to ensure staff completes required future medical examinations, correcting STAR errors timely, safeguarding veterans’ PII, and managing mail within the VSC. We also recommended the VARO provide training to Rating Veterans Service Representatives to ensure they properly assess and make competency determinations for veterans’ that require assistance to manage VA benefit payments. The Director of the Togus VARO concurred with all recommendations. Management’s planned actions are responsive and we will follow-up as required on all actions.