REPORT OF BVA 61ST NATIONAL CONVENTION BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

Resolutions 1-06 through 4-06
Resolutions 5-06 through 8-06
Resolutions 9-06 through 11-06
Resolutions 12-06 through 17-06
Resolutions 18-06 through 23-06
Resolutions 24-06 through 27-06
Resolutions 28-06 through 32-06
Resolutions 33-06 through 36-06
Resolutions 37-06 through 41-06
Resolutions 42-06 through 44-06
Resolutions 45-06 through 47-06

RESOLUTION 24-06

Clerical Support for VIST Programs

WHEREAS, most VIST Coordinators across the country have no clerical support, AND

WHEREAS, this causes these program managers to spend a significant amount of time doing clerical and administrative duties, AND

WHEREAS, BVA feels this time would be better spent performing clinical duties and direct patient care, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, the Blinded Veterans Association in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006 requests that the VA authorize the provision of at least .5 FTEE GS 4/5 clerical support for all full time GS-12 VIST Coordinators with a caseload of 300 or more blinded veterans and 1.0 FTEE for programs having both a full time VIST Coordinator with a minimum of 300 caseload and a GS-12 Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS), AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, that VISN Directors be required to provide funding to local facilities to support these positions, AND FINALLY BE IT

RESOLVED, that the VIST and BROS Handbooks and documents pertaining to VIST and BROS contain language supporting the intent that such support is to be provided.

 RESOLUTION 25-06

BRC Staffing of Nurses

WHEREAS, an increasing number of veterans have complex medical issues, AND

WHEREAS, it is felt that many veterans with special needs cannot participate in residential blind rehabilitation due to lack of adequate staffing in BRCs, particularly nursing staff, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006 partner with BRS to encourage VA to review the staffing levels of nursing at residential blind rehabilitation centers to determine the correct number of nurses needed at each site and to ensure that corrective action is taken at those site found to be lacking adequate staffing levels, AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, that this be made a national priority for BVA to ensure that corrective action is taken by the VA if a review reveals inadequate staffing does exist, AND FINALLY BE IT

RESOLVED, that this issue be placed on the agenda of the BVA/BRS Strategic Work Group and presented in the annual testimony to Congress.

RESOLUTION 26-06

CAT Training

WHEREAS, there is currently a lack of standardization in the BRC computer training programs across the country in both curriculum and staff qualifications to teach veterans to use a computer, AND

WHEREAS, this leads to inconsistent teaching methods and outcomes, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, by the Blinded Veterans Association in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006 that VACO BRS, in partnership with BVA, work together to bring about corrective action, AND FURTHER BE IT

RESOLVED, that the BVA/BRS Strategic Work Group be used for the purpose of such problem solving, AND FINALLY BE IT

RESOLVED, that the use of subject matter expert consultants from outside the VA be explored as a viable resource in the problem solving and training process to help analyze, develop national standards and provide training for those VA staff providing computer instruction.

RESOLUTION 27-06

Establish a national trust fund to compensate veterans for service-connected illness caused by asbestos exposure.

WHEREAS, asbestos use in the military was prevalent during and after World War II; AND

WHEREAS, veterans who served in the military before mid-1970 continue to be diagnosed with asbestos related diseases due to long latency periods from exposure to the first symptoms of diseases; AND

WHEREAS, recent data reflects that claims from individuals exposed to asbestos in military service and ship yard construction accounted for 26 percent of all mesothelioma cases, 16 percent of all other lung cancer cases and 13 percent of all disabling lung diseases; AND

WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to receive claims from veterans for illnesses related to asbestos exposure however, less than one third of known VA asbestos claimants receive service connected compensation for their asbestos diseases, AND

WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges that 50 percent of veterans with asbestosis will eventually develop lung cancer, approximately 17 percent will develop mesothelioma and approximately 10 percent will develop gastrointestinal and urogenital cancers; AND

WHEREAS, all veterans with significant asbestosis will develop cor pulmonale and those who do not die from cancer often die from heart failure secondary to cor pulmonale; AND

WHEREAS, veterans have limited avenues to seek compensation for service connected illnesses caused by asbestos exposure and, further, the existing tort system is cumbersome and time consuming with varying recoveries that often depend on the locality where the claim is filed; AND

WHEREAS, replacing the existing tort system with a national trust fund that would pay veterans, their families, and others suffering from asbestos related illnesses - a fund that does not replace, offset or alter current benefits available to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs compensation system - would be beneficial to veterans; AND

WHEREAS, a National Trust fund would be an additional avenue of recovery for veterans and their families and provide them prompt, fair and certain payment for asbestos related diseases, NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention assembled in Buffalo, NY on this 19th day of August, 2006, supports passage of S-852 which establishes a national trust fund to replace the existing tort system for compensating veterans, their families and others suffering from asbestos related illnesses, AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, the national trust fund will fairly compensate veterans suffering from asbestos related illnesses, and as appropriate, their dependents and survivors, AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, that veterans will be compensated through the national trust fund on a no-fault basis thereby ending the vagaries and lengthy delays of the current tort/bankrupt system, AND FINALLY BE IT

RESOLVED, that the National trust fund established to compensate asbestos victims shall not replace, offset or diminish current benefits available to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs compensation system.

The intent of this resolution is to support the creation of a national trust fund to pay the claims of veterans and their dependents suffering from asbestos related illnesses without altering the current benefits available through the VA compensation system.

Resolutions 28-06 through 32-06 >