Department of Veterans Affairs November 17, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on May 2, 2016, which amended a number of regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to authorize personnel hired by VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service under the title ``Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor'' (VRC) to make the same determinations with respect to Chapter 31 services and benefits as personnel who had been hired under the title ``Counseling Psychologist'' (CP). The preamble to that final rule cited supporting documents inaccurately and failed to properly explain the qualifications for and duties of this VR&E position responsible for making determinations with respect to Chapter 31 services and benefits. This interim final rule corrects those inaccuracies, more clearly explains the basis for the final rule, and invites public comment on the changes made to VA's regulations in the May 2, 2016, final rule.