The provision of local computer issuance will be dependent on the involvement and support of the VIST Coordinator. In fact, the VIST Coordinator will play a major role. In order to carry out these responsibilities, the Coordinator needs guidelines. What exact role does the Coordinator perform is the question. Essentially, the worker will be determining who is a proper candidate for local services using clinical indicators and assisting appropriate candidates to participate. The worker will be the key individual to determine when required outcomes have been reached and documentation of such in the medical record. Specifically, the VIST Coordinator will be responsible for:

·  Make sure the veteran is aware of all options

·  Helping veterans decide whether local training is indicated or if the veteran would be better served by attending a BRC

·  Interview interested applicants

·  Provide a clinical assessment

·  Locate providers in the community

·  Determine qualifications-competencies of local providers

·  Develop and maintain a list of local providers

·  Assess whether a veteran is a proper candidate for local issuance

·  Maintain testing materials

·  Maintain list of training resources

·  Monitor quality of providers and training

·  Administer tests to veterans

·  Document training and veteran competency in medical record

·  Problem solving

·  Assist veterans in application process to either local training or to a BRC

·  Determine typing competency of applicants

·  Provide education to applicants

·  Monitor progress

·  Develop and implement the local program model

·  Order appropriate computers

Now every Coordinator is not going to be overwhelmed with requests of local computer training. However, every Coordinator needs to be aware of the possible models for delivering services. There is no expectation that VIST Coordinators will be personally providing computer training. Coordinators are much too busy to assume this additional responsibility. There will certainly be some Coordinators and BROS with the ability and aptitude to do more than others.

What the Coordinator will be able to do depends a great deal on the available resources and services in the community. There are areas with excellent computer training resources. Many locations will have minimal opportunities.

It can be anticipated that in the beginning of the move to local provision of services there will be growing pains. Many of the tasks listed above will consume time in the beginning as an inter-structure is developed. Once the process is developed, management can be expected to be very manageable. The move to more local computer services is just like the move to more local vision rehabilitation services. It will require an open mind and flexibility. It is simply going to require the qualities that make for a good VIST Coordinator.

The first step will be the assessment.