United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-05-28 monographic deposited born digital 24 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-535 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535 P0b002ee18039d93e f:d08535 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535 GAO-08-535 Access to health care Diversity management Employee development Employee training Foreign languages Health care facilities Health care programs Health care services Health centers Hospital care services Military health services Minorities On-the-job training Patient care services Training utilization Veterans Veterans benefits Veterans hospitals Cultural awareness Other Written Product A82226 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) faces challenges in bridging language and cultural barriers as it seeks to provide quality health care services to an increasingly diverse veteran population in terms of race, ethnicity, sex, and age. To meet the needs of veterans with limited English proficiency (LEP), VA issued an LEP Directive that provides guidance for medical centers in assessing language needs and, if needed, developing language access services designed to ensure effective communication between English-speaking providers and those with LEP. In addition, VA is also challenged to deliver health care services in ways that are culturally appropriate--that is, respectful of and responsive to the cultural values of a diverse veteran population. In light of these challenges, GAO was asked to discuss the (1) actions VA has taken to implement its LEP Directive and the status of veterans' utilization of language access services, and (2) efforts VA has made to provide culturally appropriate health care services. GAO reviewed VA's policies and the LEP Directive, interviewed VA officials and reviewed efforts by 6 VA medical centers and 10 other VA facilities to implement VA's LEP Directive and to provide culturally appropriate health care services. GAO also reviewed documents from 17 other VA medical centers related to implementation of the LEP Directive. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535.pdf GAO-08-535 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-535 Other Written Product GAO-08-535; VA Health Care: Facilities Have Taken Action to Provide Language Access Services and Culturally Appropriate Care to a Diverse Veteran Population; Access to health care Diversity management Employee development Employee training Foreign languages Health care facilities Health care programs Health care services Health centers Hospital care services Military health services Minorities On-the-job training Patient care services Training utilization Veterans Veterans benefits Veterans hospitals Cultural awareness Volume 108 Page 4645 108 Stat. 4645 Volume 122 Page 3 122 Stat. 3 Public Law 103-446 Public Law 110-181