Digital Government Strategy Report for the Department of Veterans Affairs
2.1. Engage with customers to identify at least two existing major customer-facing services that contain high-value data or content as first-move candidates to make compliant with new open data, content, and web API policy.
Overall Status: completed
2.1.1. Paragraph on customer engagement approach
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs utilized several effective methods to ascertain both systems and services that would satisfy the requirements associated with OMB milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1. Since the May 23, 2012 publication of the Federal Digital Government Strategy, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has performed several data calls requesting information regarding planned, in-development, and provisioned SOA Services and Mobile Applications. Additionally, numerous face to face meetings and conference calls were held with various program managers and systems engineers across departments to validate what would later become the initial direct responses to milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1. As clarification was received from CIO Council emails during July 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs revised its initial data gathering approach. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs internally canvassed and prioritized its cadre of mission essential Information Systems and mobile applications for the purpose of crafting a response that would best satisfy milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1.
2.1.2. Prioritized list of systems (datasets)
System Name: GI Bill (fully-automated claims processing IT system)
System Description: The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides education benefits for Service members and their families. With its increased benefits and complexity, the GI Bill requires extensive modifications to existing processing, procedures, and IT systems. The long-term implementation strategy will result in a fully-automated claims processing IT system that will be used as a model to migrate all VA educational programs onto an integrated, sustainable platform.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans and their Families, and VA Employees
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-666666107
System Name: Personal Identity Verification (PIV)
System Description: The VA PIV cards are designed to verify identity and ensure the work performed or created by VA employees and contractors was completed by the individual and protected from fraudulent use. VA is piloting mandatory use of PIV cards for IT system users in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In FY13, through the Preparedness Major Initiative, 21 VACO campus buildings will be integrated into the Enterprise Physical Control Systems for centralized management.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: VA Employees
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-888888103
System Name: VLER - Benefits Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record
System Description: The VLER Warrior Support Projects ensure that information is available to end users in a timely fashion to support Integrated Care for our Nations Operation New Dawn and Severely Ill and Injured Service members and Veterans. Specifically, the Information Sharing Initiative (ISI) will facilitate the exchange of relevant data between VA, DoD and Social Security Administration in order to ensure services and benefits are planned, managed and delivered consistently and correctly to beneficiaries.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: DoD, VA, and Social Security Administration
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-888888105
System Name: VLER - Core Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record
System Description: Federal Information Sharing Technologies (FIST) provides the framework for the comprehensive management of health information across computerized systems and its secure exchange between consumers, providers, Government entities and insurers.
System Scope: both
Main Customer: VA Employees, Providers and other Govt Agencies
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-888888102
System Name: VLER - Memorials Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record
System Description: CA provides burial space for Veterans and their eligible family members, maintains national cemeteries as national shrines, marks Veterans graves with a Government-furnished headstone or marker, provides presidential memorial certificates in recognition of their service, and administers grants for establishing or expanding state and tribal Government Veterans cemeteries. VLERs NCA projects are working to modernize a number of burial benefits systems
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans and their Families
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-666666203
System Name: Veterans Relationship Management (VRM)
System Description: (VRM) - Enterprise Veterans Self Service will help VA develop and deliver on-demand access to comprehensive services and benefits in a consistent, Veteran-centric environment. This project will also help VA improve the ways information is exchanged between Veterans and VA and within the organization.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: VA Employees
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-888888105
System Name: State Drug Prescription Monitoring Program
System Description: VA is now permitted to share prescription history information with state prescription monitoring programs (PMPs), a major step toward improving health care and reducing prescription drug abuse among Veterans. Adding VA prescription history data to that of state PMPs will provide a more complete picture of Veterans use of controlled substances, helping prescribers make better clinical decisions and reducing opportunities for prescription drug diversion. It will also help meet one of the four major goals of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCPs) 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan: to improve the monitoring of controlled substance prescribing and dispensing.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Providers
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555184
System Name: PRE (VA Pharmacy Reengineering)
System Description: PRE will meet the current and future business needs of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Pharmacy. PRE will replace the existing Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) Pharmacy application suite. The existing pharmacy software modules are being reengineered through new development and the purchase of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products that will support future architecture for applications. PRE also includes development and customization of a decision support system based on COTS and VA components that cross checks a patients newly ordered and existing drugs and doses and then sends VA Pharmacists alerts that can save lives and reduce adverse drug events.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: Providers
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555184
System Name: HMIS (Homelessness Management Information System)
System Description: HMIS is an electronic data collection system that stores ongoing personal and health information about Veterans and their families and is a collaborative effort between VA, the HUD, and local homeless assistance provider agencies. Information is captured at the local level, usually by a non-profit or community organization that coordinates housing and services for homeless individuals and their families, or by free clinics or public hospitals providing them medical care. Often, homeless Veterans do not know about the resources available to them through VA, and thus look to free local health care providers or county hospitals for care. This system allows for all of this disparate information to be compiled in one consolidated file for each homeless Veteran. Information collected by HMIS is not only used to help the Veteran overcome health and financial circumstances, but is also used to enhance the overall well-being of Veterans and their families.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: Veterans and their Families
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555109
System Name: Genomic Informatics System for Integrative Science (GenISIS)
System Description: GenISIS stores bio-specimens with longitudinal clinical annotations collected through the Million Veteran Project (MVP) and makes them available to investigators with appropriate protocols to conduct genomic/molecular studies. Genomic data generated from such studies is added to the GenISIS platform and made available for future studies.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: VA Employees and Providers
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555113
System Name: Health Management Platform
System Description: Internal
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: VA Employees and Providers
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555108
System Name: New Models of Care-My HealtheVet
System Description: My HealtheVet (MHV) is a forward-facing web portal that helps replace a visit-based, hospital-centric model with a Veteran-centric health care model. The MHV infrastructure is designed to help Veterans navigate VAs health care system and receive coordinated care, thus enhancing the Veterans overall healthcare experience through a results-driven and innovative environment. Benefits to the Veterans include the ability to use MHV to view their Personal Health Records (PHRs) and extracts from their VA health records online, the ability to securely communicate electronically with their health care teams, and the ability to access educational material. MHV is the unifying step towards providing Veterans with complete ownership of their health care.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555242
System Name: Veterans Affairs National Facilities Locator
System Description: This service is being adapted for web API and allows user to search for VA facility locations; VA central offices, benefits offices, cemeteries, and all VA medical facilities. This service categorizes information for browsing by state and administration, as well as by viewing through an interactive map of the United States.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans and General Public
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-XXXXXXXXX--New Investment for FY 2014 Budget
System Name: Nationwide Gravesite Locator
System Description: This service is being adapted for web API and allows user to search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator includes burial records from many sources. These sources provide varied data; some searches may contain less information than others. Information on veterans buried in private cemeteries was collected for the purpose of furnishing government grave markers, and we do not have information available for burials prior to 1997.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans and General Public
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-XXXXXXXXX--New Investment for FY 2014 Budget
7.1. Engage with customers to identify at least two existing priority customer-facing services to optimize for mobile use.
Overall Status: completed
7.1.1. Paragraph on customer engagement approach
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs utilized several effective methods to ascertain both systems and services that would satisfy the requirements associated with OMB milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1. Since the May 23, 2012 publication of the Federal Digital Government Strategy, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has performed several data calls requesting information regarding planned, in-development, and provisioned SOA Services and Mobile Applications. Additionally, numerous face to face meetings and conference calls were held with various program managers and systems engineers across departments to validate what would later become the initial direct responses to milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1. As clarification was received from CIO Council emails during July 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs revised its initial data gathering approach. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs internally canvassed and prioritized its cadre of mission essential Information Systems and mobile applications for the purpose of crafting a response that would best satisfy milestone actions 2.1 and 7.1
7.1.2. Prioritized list of systems (datasets)
System Name: Nationwide Gravesite Locator
System Description: Mobile Application allows user to search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator includes burial records from many sources. These sources provide varied data; some searches may contain less information than others. Information on veterans buried in private cemeteries was collected for the purpose of furnishing government grave markers, and we do not have information available for burials prior to 1997.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: Public
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-666666203
System Name: PTSD Coach
System Description: The PTSD Coach app helps learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma. Features include: Reliable information on PTSD and treatments that work; Tools for screening and tracking symptoms; Convenient, easy-to-use skills to help handle stress symptoms; Direct links to support and help; and is always accessible.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veterans
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555113
System Name: Mobile Blue Button Appointment Request App Different OS
System Description: Link to VA Information Sites / Display for Mobile including provider access to local clinic phone numbers.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veteran / Caregiver
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555242
System Name: Provider View Patient Entered Pain Assessment App
System Description: Collect from Veterans information about why they may not be taking medications as instructed, including information about medication side effects. This information will help VA providers to formulate medication treatment plans that are congruent with what the patient can carry out. In addition the ability to aggregate patient reported side effects will accelerate the detection of Adverse Drug Events which are difficult to detect using existing provider reports.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Provider
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555242
System Name: RouteShout
System Description: RouteShout mobile application provides riders with real-time bus arrival information, enabling riders to more effectively plan trips and receive notifications of service disruptions or security alerts.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veteran
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555108
System Name: CIH Mobile Prescription Medication Refill
System Description: Ability to refill medications using mobile app. VA’s Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) functions as a virtual extension of VA medical center pharmacies by mailing prescription medications and supplies directly to Veteran patients. The goal is delivery of medication or supplies to the patient within 10 days of provider or patient request.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Veteran / Caregiver
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-555555242
System Name: Homelessness Mobile
System Description: Allow remote read/write access to HOMES database by Veteran Homeless Coordinators. This iOS-based mobile application for iPad provides the following capabilities: Authenticate only authorized users to the application; Search for Veterans whose information is already within HOMES; Update demographic, contact, notes, and photographs of Veterans to HOMES; Add longitudinal and latitudinal data to a HOMES data entry; Add a new Veterans information into HOMES; Visualize the locations of other agents in the field.
System Scope: internal
Main Customer: VA Employee
Unique Investment Identifier: 029-00-01-11-01-5113-00
4.2. Establish an agency-wide governance structure for developing and delivering digital services
Overall Status: completed
Paragraph on Governance: Information Technology (IT) plays a pivotal role in the transformation of VA into a 21st century organization as envisioned by the President and Secretary Shinseki. IT is an enabler for implementation of the Secretary’s 16 Transformational Initiatives, which cannot be executed without newly developed IT products. These initiatives are key to improving VA’s service to Veterans.
The VA IT enterprise is a massive single, consolidated network with 152 hospitals, 791 community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC), 57 benefits processing offices, and 131 cemeteries and 33 soldier’s lots and monument sites. Our OIT workforce numbers over 7,100, serving over 300,000 VA employees and more than 10 million Veterans. Within our $3.1 billion FY 2011 budget, OIT manages a technology profile of over 314,000 desktop computers, 30,000 laptops, 18,000 blackberries and mobile devices, and 448,000 email accounts. These figures describe an IT enterprise that is one of the largest consolidated IT organizations in the world. Managing an organization of this size and scope requires disciplined management and processes. Various IT governance bodies exist to address business requirements, planning, prioritization, resourcing, and technical aspects of information technology.
Effective information technology governance enables centralized decision-making to address business needs and align IT strategy, systems, services, and processes to the Department’s strategic goals. Appropriate information technology governance in concert with a tone of cooperation among the VA stakeholders has made and will continue to make it possible to effectively address many complex problems and issues at the second largest agency in the Federal Government.
URL to Governance Document: http://www.va.gov/digitalstrategy/docs/VA_Digital_Services_Governance_4-2.pdf
5.2. Develop an enterprise-wide inventory of mobile devices and wireless service contracts
Overall Status: completed
5.2.1. Develop wireless and mobile inventory
Bureau/Component: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Inventory Status: completed
8.2. Implement performance and customer satisfaction measuring tools on all .gov websites
Overall Status: completed
8.2.1. Implement performance measurement tool
Implemented Digital Analytics Program: yes
If Not, Describe Implementation: Until the recent implementation of the GSA-provided DAP tool, VA was using an alternative tool, Webtrends to collect and analyze web performance data on 85 percent of its websites. After an initial testing period for the DAP tool on 25 percent of its public websites, VA plans to expand the use of the new tool to all external-facing websites. VA will use the tool Webtrends in conjunction with the GSA-supplied analytics tool until the DAP tool is fully implemented.
Percent of websites covered: 85% DAP
URL of performance data: (Participation in DAP)
8.2.2. Implement customer satisfaction tool
Describe Implementation: VA currently uses the customer satisfaction survey tool, Foresee, which benchmarks user responses against the American Customer Satisfaction Index ACSI. Foresee is used on VA primary and secondary domain websites to collect the baseline metrics outlined by GSA guidelines for customer satisfaction metrics.
URL of performance data: Currently, while VA collects customer satisfaction data on a majority of its primary and secondary domain websites, the data is not made available to the public.
1.2. Ensure all new IT systems follow the open data, content, and web API policy and operationalize agency.gov/developer pages
Overall Status: in-progress
1.2.1. Document policy for architecting new IT systems for openness by default
Describe policy: VA is undertaking efforts to ensure that new IT systems promote interoperability, accessibility, and openness. It is implementing new governance bodies to facilitate growth and management of mobile applications; and to manage the full lifecycle of mobile apps, application programming interfaces (APIs), and web services. It is improving its data collection and management processes to reduce redundancy of efforts as well as the number of data repositories. VA regularly offers VA information and datasets on data.gov. Currently, approximately 3,800 datasets from VA reside on data.gov for public use. In response to the Federal Digital Government Strategy, VA has, in 2012-13, released several mobile applications and application programming interfaces, and launched the va.gov/developer website, a hub for sharing resources with intra- and inter-agency developers as well as the general public. VA has dozens of mobile applications in various states of production (planning, development, pilot testing, and promotion), to provide fast, efficient delivery of services to Veterans, their Caregivers, physicians, the VA workforce, and the American public. VA's 508 Compliance Office promotes efforts to provide accessibility for all VA digital services. VA's customer service plan, through the Mobile Blue Button and My MeatheVet initiatives, focuses on providing Veterans the tools they need for reading, using, and sharing personal health information with their providers and others they trust. These and other VA efforts streamline agency processes to reduce costs and accelerate delivery. To measure the effectiveness of public engagement, VA has implemented web performance and customer satisfaction metrics tools. VA uses the government-wide Digital Analytics Program (DAP) tool to monitor web performance. For customer satisfaction metrics, VA uses the tool Foresee. The data collected from these tools is shared within VA and with other federal agencies. This approach will provide VA with feedback for improvement to customer websites, and the services VA is delivering; resulting improvements in the efficiency of service delivery should also provide a better return on investment. In May 2013, OMB released the Federal Open Data Policy. These guidelines will be disseminated throughout VA; and VA's response to the new policy will be reported on this website in accordance with OMB deadlines.
1.2.4. Develop Data Inventory Schedule - Summary
Summarize the Inventory Schedule: The overall schedule represents an effective and integrated approach towards identifying data assets within the federal government’s second-largest agency. All activities are coordinated between VA’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a newly established “Open Data governance structure” consisting of two integrated bodies: a Senior-level data forum known as the Data Governance Council (DGC) and an action officer/subject matter expert-level body known as the Open Data Integrated Project Team (IPT). As a result of coordinated and repetitive messaging and communications, each Administration and Staff Office will be pursuing the identification and collection of data assets from every sub-component. Interim inventory reporting will monitor such progress.
1.2.5. Develop Data Inventory Schedule - Milestones
Title: Reporting Kick-off and Initial Data Asset Discovery
Description: CTO in concert with DGC and IPT will kick-off future reporting requirements discussion to agency-wide Open Data representatives. Communications in the form of meeting messaging and memorandums will include the need for data asset contributions by every service within each Administration and Staff Office. Each Administration and Staff Office will conduct internal data asset identification efforts and gap analyses via an examination of existing inventories, repositories, internet and intranet websites. The identified Open Data lead for each Administration and Staff Office will coordinate the organization’s quarterly data asset collection efforts. Department to submit 1st Quarter Report.
Milestone Date: 1st Quarter: Due to OMB on 28 February 2014; internally due 26 February 2014
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Data assets identified during the organizational identification efforts will be registered in local inventories. Data assets not presently listed in data.gov will serve as content for expanded inventory.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 31 May 2014; internally due 21 April 2014
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report.
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 August 2014; internally due 21 July 2014
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Each Administration and Staff Office to continue reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Personnel will screen for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to devote additional resources (if needed) to ensure data assets are reviewed, metadata is completed, and information is loaded into inventory. Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office to continue coordinating remaining efforts. Progress reporting to occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 4th Quarter Report. Plans to be developed for Fiscal Year 2015 reporting.
Milestone Date: 4th Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 November 2014; internally due 21 October 2014
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Each Administration and Staff Office to continue reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Personnel will screen for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to devote additional resources (if needed) to ensure data assets are reviewed, metadata is completed, and information is loaded into inventory. Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office to continue coordinating remaining efforts. Progress reporting to occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 1st Quarter Report for 2015.
Milestone Date: 1st Quarter 2015: Due to OMB on 28 February 2015; internally due 21 January 2015
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Each Administration and Staff Office to continue reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Personnel will screen for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report for 2015.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 31 May 2015; internally due 21 April 2015
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report for 2015.
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 August 2015; internally due 30 July 2015
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 4th Quarter Report for 2015.
Milestone Date: 4th Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 November 2015; internally due 30 October 2015
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 1st Quarter Report for 2016.
Milestone Date: 1st Quarter: Due to OMB on 28 February 2016; internally due 30 January 2016
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report for 2016.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 31 May 2016; internally due 29 April 2016
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public,
restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report for 2016.
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 August 2016; internally due 29 July 2016
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 4th Quarter Report for 2016.
Milestone Date: 4th Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 November 2016; internally due 29 October 2016
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public,
restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring
forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The
identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Off
ice will continue to coordinate
organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT
meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across
-
the
-
board r
eporting.
Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report for 2017.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 May 2017; internally due 30 April 2017
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to
continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are poss
ible prior to or on
deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and
complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Off
ice
personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion.
Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law an
d
regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each
Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public,
restricted public, or non
-
public). The Enterprise Data Inventory
will be published with public,
restricted public, and non
-
public data assets at
www.va.gov/data
with appropriate FOIA
redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report for 2017.
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 August 2017; internally due 30 July 2017
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Data assets identified during the organizational identification efforts will be registered in local inventories. Data assets not presently listed in data.gov will serve as content for expanded inventory.
Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA, redactions if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: CTO, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and monthly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 4th Quarter Report for 2017.
Milestone Date: 4th Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 November 2017; internally due 30 October 2017
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue
messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data
asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office
will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at
weekly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-theboard
reporting. Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report for 2018.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 May 2018; internally due
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to
continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on
deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and
complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office
personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion.
Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report for 2018
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 August 2018; internally due 15 August 2018
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 4th Quarter Report for 2018.
Milestone Date: 4th Quarter: Due to OMB on 30 November 2018; internally due 15 November 2018
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office
personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at monthly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 1st Quarter Report for 2019.
Milestone Date: 1st Quarter: Due to OMB on 28 February 2019; internally due 14 February 2019
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office
personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 2nd Quarter Report for 2019.
Milestone Date: 2nd Quarter: Due to OMB on 31 May 2019; internally due 15 May 2019
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Data assets identified during the organizational identification efforts will be registered in local inventories. Data assets not presently listed in data.gov will serve as content for expanded inventory.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public).
Title: Expanded Data Asset Discovery and Identification
Description: Executive Sponsor for Open Data, DGC, and Open Data IPT to continue messaging within their recurring forums. Each Administration and Staff Office to continue data asset discovery efforts. The identified Open Data leads for each Administration and Staff Office will continue to coordinate organizational efforts. Inventory progress reporting will occur at weekly Open Data IPT meetings and quarterly DGC meetings. IPT Chair will ensure across-the-board reporting. Department to submit 3rd Quarter Report for 2019.
Milestone Date: 3rd Quarter: Due to OMB on 31 August 2019; internally due 15 August 2019
Description of how this milestone expands the Inventory: Administration and Staff Offices to continue local data asset identification efforts. Inventory additions are possible prior to or on deadline date if assets have been properly classified, metadata fields are properly classified and complete, and privacy reviews have been conducted.
Description of how this milestone enriches the Inventory: Administration and Staff Office
personnel will be reviewing each identified data asset’s metadata for clarity and completion. Additionally, the inventory will be screened for asset duplication.
Description of how this milestone opens the Inventory: To the extent permissible by law and regulation, VA will place data assets into the public data listing. Privacy reviews within each Administration and Staff Office will ensure proper data asset categorization (either public, restricted public, or non-public). The Enterprise Data Inventory will be published with public, restricted public, and non-public data assets at www.va.gov/data with appropriate FOIA redactions, if applicable.
1.2.6. Develop Customer Feedback Process
Describe the agency's process to engage with customers: Department of Veterans Affairs Customer Feedback Process (OMB MAX/Open Data Requirement #4) to engage with customers: VA’s Customer Feedback Process is a mechanism for engaging Veterans, family members, and the public. This engagement will help VA’s open data team prioritize data releases. It will also drive and facilitate the use of VA data assets by the public for the creation of informative and/or useful products that add value to Veterans and their supporters. Feedback will be collected through digital engagement and stakeholder outreach (partnerships, in-person events). Open communication, responsiveness, and personal relationships have been, and will continue to be, central to VA’s ability to connect with and understand the needs of the end users of VA’s open data. Engagement efforts online and in person (via events and partnerships) will continue to increase. VA hosted its first ever Open Data Roundtable on May 6, 2015, including private sector, nonprofits, academic and research organizations. The purpose was to form a collaborative network between VA and data users to create a customer-centric experience for Veterans and their supporters and streamline service-delivery. VA hosted its first ever Analytics Powering Outcomes for Veterans 2015 conference on June 29, 2015 through July 1, 2015, including innovative minds and industry leaders from academia, and across the public and private sectors. The purpose was to build the foundation of an analytically-empowered organization that effectively identifies and meets the needs of our customers: Veterans and their supporters. The Secretary of VA hosted the first ever Brain Trust Pathways to InnoVAtion conference on April 20, 2016 through April 21, 2016, which brought together many of the brightest minds in the country to foster debate and identify creative solutions and Strategic Partnerships to the many challenges that exist in the areas of brain and mental health. Speakers included VA brain researchers, partners, scientists, and thought leaders – including Veteran, Federal, Sports, Private Industry and Community Partners – to advance national discussions related to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for Veterans and Americans in general. In honor of the first anniversary of President Obama’s proclamation of September 10th as World Suicide Prevention Day, the Department of Veterans Affairs hosted the first ever Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Innovations (VASPI) event — a 2-day data-driven and collaborative event designed to connect a concerned community from the public and private sectors, Veterans and their families, and academia to develop solutions for the prevention of Veteran suicide. At the VASPI event, the first ever synthetic VA dataset was released as the first clinical data set related to people that died by suicide ever made publically available. On February 7, 2017, the VA Office of Enterprise Integration and the University of Southern California Center for Innovation and Research for Veterans and Military Families convened a one-day roundtable to collaborate on policy and research with a special focus on women Veterans. Approximately fifty participants, representing a range of experience and viewpoints from federal government agencies, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions attended the event. These participants provided firsthand insights on the opportunities and challenges facing women Veterans through two roundtable discussions on policy and on research. On March 30, 2017, the Veterans Health Administration hosted “Focus on Health Equity and Action Cyberseminar” session to focus on the social determinants of health as a useful concept for describing the availability and distribution of economic, social, and physical conditions that impact patients' health and the health care system. The session was designed to: 1) describe social determinants of health and how these determinants influence VHA patient care; 2) present an example from the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team program and their use of social determinants of health to improve patient care for homeless Veterans and their families; and 3) discuss VA data sources and industry best practices to understand and incorporate social determinants of health into the electronic medical record and research activities. The audience included: researchers, clinicians, care coordinators, policy makers, educators, Veteran stakeholders and representatives of vulnerable Veteran groups who are interested in understanding and/or promoting equitable health among all Veterans. The VA Office of Enterprise Integration was a key speaker at the session, focusing the discussion on health equity, Veteran journey maps, military transition theory and associated data.
On July 28-30, 2017, VA co-sponsored the Apps for Ag Hackathon with the University of California at the Urban Hive in Sacramento, California, to encourage the development of innovative solutions to spark entrepreneurship and bring together the seemingly disparate worlds of software development, commercial farming, and Veterans. The Apps for Ag Hackathon was a 48 hour collaborative event with the goal to develop useful technology to: address the needs of today’s grower; seed new enterprises in the AgTech and FoodTech sectors; and create new jobs by assisting Veterans with military to civilian transition. VA strives to eliminate the barriers between rural Veterans and the services they have earned and deserve, thus improving Veterans’ health and well-being by increasing access to care. Designed to assist VA meet its mission in rural America, Apps for Ag was attended by more than 40 people, some from as far as New York and Texas, who formed twelve teams to turn ideas into commercial enterprises. Three teams focused on employment solutions for Veterans, matching unemployed Veterans with farm jobs. Participants created innovative solutions in the form of applications, business plans, and policy recommendations. The Farmer Veteran Coalition, whose mission is to mobilize Veterans to feed America, spoke at the event. In conjunction with USDA, VA developed and presented five categories of Challenges, experienced by many Veterans, regarding: channels of communication; improving Veteran healthcare through the use of rural broadband; increasing the number of rural Veteran farmers; education; and employment. VA’s Office of Enterprise Integration led the event, and presented VA’s new technology platform for data stories and data visualizations. At the event, VA released four new Veteran farmer data assets by county, gender, age, and state. Other members of the VA Open Data team from the Office of Economic Opportunity and Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, acted as mentors and judges. By joining a USDA dataset on food deserts with a VA dataset on Veteran population, one of the teams created a new dataset of Veterans in food deserts with potential policy implications for Veterans at risk and homeless.
On September 23, 2017, VA participated in the National Day of Civic Hacking event connecting public servants, people with technology skills, graphic designers, problem solvers, and community organizers to show how government can work in the 21st century with the interagency Open Data community at the Johns Hopkins Sibley Innovation Hub. The focus was to provide Federal Open Data resources and build public-private momentum with challenges including Suicide Prevention Innovations.
On May 11, 2018, VA participated in Big Data Day, sponsored by the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy. Big Data Day is an opportunity for employees of federal statistical agencies to share their innovations around big, or alternative, data sources and discuss the future of federal statistics. VA’s Open Data team is one of only eight demonstrations, the only presentation on Open Data at the event, and features VBA’s latest data story on Improving the Veteran Experience through Process Improvements and Modernization. The goal of the event is to promote technical innovation related to Big Data across the statistical system.
On July 31, 2018, VA participated in Tableau’s Student Data Hackathon, teaching college students, who are Veterans, about Tableau products using data from VA’s Open Data and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to build data analytics skills enabling employment opportunities. Five teams from six universities (Georgetown University, George Washington University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, James Madison University, University of Maryland) focused on expenditure, employment, homelessness, breast cancer registry, suicide, Vietnam War and rural Veteran data. Participants created innovative solutions in the form of data visualizations and policy recommendations. At the event, VA Open Data team members from the Office of Enterprise Integration, Office of Information and Technology, and National Cemetery Administration presented on VA’s Open Data initiative and VA’s history of data.
VA continues to submit data release proposals based on user feedback through e-mails from data users sent to The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (NCVAS); requests through the VA Open Data page and Data.gov; White House events on topics such as aging and mental health; and requests for machine readable formats.
o On Wednesday, October 10, the sixth annual Data Transparency 2018 (DT2018) explored how data is being standardized, shared and used to create a better future for our society. Attendees joined us to examine the challenges, benefits, and solutions around information sharing across the government, compliance, and private sectors. With these changes comes greater transparency analytics for better decision making, and cost reduction across the private sector.
1.2.7. Develop Data Publication Process
Describe the agency's data publication process: Department of Veterans Affairs Data Publication Process (OMB MAX/Open Data Requirement #5) The Data Publication Process is a process to determine whether data assets have a valid restriction to not release. Data is identified by customer feedback and internal data custodians. In each program office, the data asset is submitted to leadership and a Privacy Officer for review to insure that sensitive data, Protected Health Information, and Personally Identifiable Information protected by applicable privacy and confidentiality law or regulation is not released in violation of law. Questions regarding restrictions on release may be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel and elevated to the Open Data IPT if necessary. Data assets are then reviewed by the program office Open Data Point of Contact, certified as releasable, and published. Any data asset that contains information protected by applicable privacy and confidentiality law or regulation will not be released as Open Data without effective de-identification. When considering whether information is adequately de-identified for release, an assessment of risk for possible re-identification must be made. Record level data will not be released if the assessment finds a risk of re-identification. For example, health care records that have been de-identified pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) safe harbor criteria, but which in combination with other available information and technology could foreseeably be re-identified (i.e., the mosaic effect) will not be released. Proposed changes to narratives will be reviewed quarterly and approved by an integrated data council.
2.2. Make high-value data and content in at least two existing, major customer-facing systems available through web APIs, apply metadata tagging and publish a plan to transition additional high-value systems
Overall Status: completed
2.2.1. Publish plan on future activity
Describe policy: As shown in VA's Milestone 1.2 Initial Candidate List for development into web APIs, a number of existing systems are scheduled to be made available in the future. As these application programming interfaces are made available to intra-agency, inter-agency, and public developers, they will be posted on the VA developer hub.
2.2.2. Make 2+ systems (datasets) available via web APIs with metadata tags
Name of system: VetSuccess API Web Service
Description of system: VetSucces.gov serves as a virtual transition and employment resource center for Veterans seeking employment and employers who want to hire Veterans. Through the VetSuccess API Web Service, registered employers can post available jobs without having to complete manual entry or edits of job forms directly within VetSuccess.gov. With some initial set up, employers can integrate directly to the VetSuccess API Web Service, view Veteran resumes, and receive job applications. Veterans can browse job listings, post resumes, and apply for positions online.
Scope of system: external
Main Customers: Veterans and potential employers
API Link: http://vetsuccess.gov/benefits_to_vetsuccessgov
Name of system: National Gravesite Locations API
Description of system: The Nationwide Gravesite Locator provides access to the VA National Cemetery Administration's dataset of gravesite locations within all 50 U.S. dates, as well as U.S. territories.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Developers (intra- and inter-agency, as well as public developers)
API Link: https://explore.data.gov/developers/docs/veterans-burial-sites
5.3. Evaluate the government-wide contract vehicles in the alternatives analysis for all new mobile-related procurements
Overall Status: completed
Describe Implementation: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to aggressively pursue options to reduce the acquisition and management costs of mobile devices nationwide. VA has issued National Mobile Device Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract(s). Evaluations are in progress and awards are expected in late spring 2013. These acquisitions will allow VA to take advantage of economies of scale through volume pricing, reduce administrative burden, simplify reporting, and minimize underutilized services.
The new VA National Mobile Device Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quality (IDIQ) contracts will not be comprised of a traditional minute plan. There will be a massive pool of minutes to be shared with all end users across the enterprise.
Additionally, a draft of the tool created in Milestone 5.2 has been released and is being shared with VA’s acquisition community to compare prices and expose them to the soon to be released government-wide contracting tool. The expectation is that VA will be able to negotiate better prices for digital devices and service contracts. VA will continue to update its contract data quarterly, to share its data with all other federal agencies.
6.3. Ensure all new digital services follow digital services and customer experience improvement guidelines
Overall Status: completed
Describe Implementation: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Web Governance Board was reconstituted and a charter signed by VA's chief of staff in 2012. The Board derives its authority from VA Directive 6102 and the associated handbook, as approved by the CIO and ASOPIA (Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs). Responsibilities of the Board include policy making for web communication standards; decision making with regard to VA communications goals; creation and oversight of VA's web standards and all web communications, including social media, applications, and web portals; advisement and reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) on web-related technology priorities, and to the ASOPIA on matters pertaining to the dissemination of information and effectiveness of VA's web communications.
VA is implementing a redesign of VA websites, with a new user interface and improvements to the way in which content is created and organized. The redesign is being implemented in a phased approach, and is expected to be completed over the next year. The goal is to provide a better user experience and more efficient and accessible delivery of services.
To measure VA web performance and customer satisfaction, VA implemented tools to track customer usage and feedback. This feedback is used to drive customer service improvements and other web reform. See milestone 8.2 for information about VA's implementation of the Digital Analytics Program (DAP) and customer satisfaction surveys on VA websites.
VA has began publishing APIS and web services. It also shares VA information and data with the public on data.gov. This sharing of data and content, and collaborating within VA and across Agencies will reduce duplication of development efforts and enhance performance and cost-effectiveness.
7.2. Optimize at least two existing priority customer-facing services for mobile use and publish a plan for improving additional existing services
Overall Status: completed
Describe Implementation: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) used several methods to ascertain systems and services to satisfy the requirements of Milestones 2.1 and 7.1. Several data calls were made regarding planned, in-development, and provisioned SOA Services and mobile apps. Meetings and conference calls with program managers and systems engineers across departments validated the initial responses to the milestones. With clarification from CIO Council in July 2012, VA revised its data gathering approach. VA internally canvassed and prioritized its cadre of mission essential Information Systems and mobile apps to craft a response to best satisfy milestones 2.1 and 7.1.
VA recently established a mobile governance board structure that will be responsible for decisions concerning the development of mobile apps centrally managed by VA and for certification of all mobile apps to be published in a VA environment and/or branded as VA products. The highest-level board is the Mobile Application Governance Board (MAGB). MAGB will approve policies, procedures and decisions concerning mobile app development, acquisition, certification and publication; set standards and conventions for VA mobile applications; and ensure apps are assessed and certified prior to release or publishing, regardless of development source. The Mobile Application Management Team (MAMT) is a working-group and primary decision-support body to the MAGB. Through these governance boards, when fully implemented, VA will ensure not only that apps are created that leverage completed or underway efforts and satisfy VA standards, such as security and privacy, but also address the needs of our Veteran and Caregiver stakeholders, as well as the VA employees that serve them. With respect to Veterans and their Caregivers, existing pilot efforts will provide important information regarding the utility of these apps, and identify other apps beneficial to them.
7.2.1. Report on services
Service Name: PTSD Coach
Service Description: The PTSD Coach mobile app provides Veterans immediate access to tools and resources for managing posttraumatic stress symptoms. It provides information on treatments that work; tools for screening and tracking symptoms; convenient, easy-to-use skills for handling stress symptoms; and direct links to support and help.
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Veterans
URL of service: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/PTSDCoach.asp
Service Name: PE Coach
Service Description: Prolonged Exposure (PE) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD that helps patients decrease distress about trauma. PE therapy has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for PTSD. PE Coach is a mobile application for patients to use with their therapists during PE therapy for PTSD. PE Coach is a treatment companion that helps patients and their therapists work through the PE treatment manual.
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Veterans
URL of service: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/pecoach_mobileapp-public.asp
Service Name: PFA Mobile
Service Description: Psychological First Aid (PFA) Mobile is an app designed for first responders to use following disasters or emergencies. This mobile app provides information based on the Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide. It provides the eight core PFA actions; matches PFA interventions to specific stress reactions of survivors; mentoring tips; responder assessment tools; and the ability to assess and track survivors' needs.
System Scope: external
Primary customers: First Responders to Emergencies and Disasters
URL of service: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/pfa_mobile_app.asp
Last updated August 8, 2019 at 8:32 am