Department Of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 272)
Washington, DC 20420
December 2006
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PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A. This Chapter sets forth space planning criteria for Mental Health Outpatient Programs
that are provided by VA healthcare facilities. It Criteria set forth in this document
update Chapter-272: Psychology Service, and apply to all medical facilities at the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
B. The Psychology Service utilizes the knowledge and skills of the behavioral sciences
in dealing with human adjustment. It provides a comprehensive program of testing,
evaluation, training, treatment, care, and rehabilitation of veterans; education and
development of professional personnel; and research.
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DEFINITIONS
A. Alcohol Dependence: Any use of alcohol that produces a pattern of pathological use
causing impairment in social or occupational functioning or produces physiological
dependency evidenced by physical tolerance or withdrawal.
B. Concept of Operations: A user-developed guide to the functional operation of the VA
healthcare facility. It defines the function of the facility and the scope of medical
services to be provided in the new or remodeled space.
C. Clinic Stop: A clinic stop is one encounter of a patient with a healthcare provider.
Per these criteria, the clinic stop is the workload unit of measure for space planning.
One individual patient can have multiple procedure / suite stops in a single visit or in
one day.
D. Clinic Visit: Patient arrival (stop) at the main reception desk. Patients may have
multiple Clinic Stops during one Clinic Visit.
E. Departmental Net to Gross (DNTG) Conversion Factor: A parameter, determined by
the VA for each space planning criteria chapter, used to convert the programmed Net
Square Foot (NSF) area to the Department Gross Square Foot (DGSF) area. The
DNTG Departmental Conversion Factor for Psychology Service is 1.40.
F. Detoxification (Detox): The process to rid the body of a toxic substance. Non-
medical Detox refers to the fact that the body will rid itself of drugs (including alcohol).
Medical Detox refers to a wide variety of detoxification techniques used by the
medical profession. These techniques range from simple observation by
professionals while an individual rids itself naturally, to medical intervention which
may include tranquilizers or other drugs that reduce the symptoms caused by the
withdrawal from the addictive drug.
G. Full-Time Equivalent (FTE): A staffing parameter equal to the amount of time
assigned to one full time employee. It may be composed of several part-time
employees whose total time commitment equals that of a full-time employee. One
FTE equals a 40 hours per week.
H. Functional Area: The grouping of rooms and spaces based on their function within a
clinical or clinical support service. Typical Functional Areas are Reception Areas,
Psychology Service (Chapter 272): Page 272-2 of 9
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