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The VA launched the Equity Action Plan in January of 2024 in alliance with its 6-year strategic plan. This comprehensive plan means that all Veterans, regardless of background, can access the necessary resources and support. In this blog post, we’ll explore the facets of the Equity Action Plan, where the plan is in the timeline, upcoming changes, and its impact on Veterans today and in the future.
What is the Equity Action Plan?
The Equity Action Plan is a strategic initiative by the VA, designed to address the disparities and inequities faced by Veterans from diverse backgrounds. This plan recognizes that Veterans come from all walks of life and aims to provide tailored support to meet their unique needs. Adopting a holistic approach, the plan seeks to bridge the healthcare, education, employment, and housing gap for all Veterans.
What are the current strategies of the Equity Action Plan?
In January 2021, Congress passed EO 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government. The VA then took immediate steps to comply. One of these steps includes the 2024 Equity Action Plan, which’s primary mission is to implement the five strategies.
Strategy 1: Benefits
As the title suggests, the VA’s first strategy revolves around benefits. The VA wants to improve the benefit outcomes for all Veterans by removing barriers that underserved Veterans experience when filing for a disability claim.
Strategy 2: Health
The VA is improving overall health care for all Veterans by reducing health disparities and using equity-informed approaches to reach underserved Veterans better.
Strategy 3: Access
The third strategy aims to alleviate the stress Veterans experience when trying to access VA benefits by streamlining the process and increasing the availability of resources, tools, and facilities.
Strategy 4: Economic Security
The VA is planning to give back to the community in part to support the economic security of underserved communities. This strategy intends to increase the opportunities for Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), and Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone). This effort has led to 3,566 contracts for WOSBs and SDBs, a 1% increase year over year.
Strategy 5: Data
The VA is taking measures to improve how it interprets data by improving the collection, quality, and accessibility of data. This approach will, in turn, improve decision-making and create more evidence-based decisions.
What does this mean for Veterans?
The 2024 Equity Action Plan is rooted in creating a better environment for Veterans. The VA will implement these strategy points throughout the year and take them into effect.
Veteran-owned businesses are more likely to land contracts with the VA in the upcoming years, and with the changes in data collection, the VA will be able to make more data-driven decisions. This could mean Veterans in the future could be subjected and categorized into groups and be changed from a name and a story to a case file number and data collection.
Luckily, Veteran Ratings is still here; we understand that every case is different because every Veteran’s service is different. Veteran Ratings has always been and will always be dedicated to securing accurate VA ratings for Veterans. We understand our clients’ challenges and ensure they have all the necessary information and documentation for successful claims, reflected in our 95% success rate. If you or a loved one needs guidance with VA filings, call us at (619) 916-4652 or visit our website to schedule a risk-free consultation today.
