Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 282)
Washington, DC 20420
February 2007
1
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A. This document outlines Space Planning Criteria for Chapter 282: Social Work
Service. It applies to all medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
B. Social Work Service is responsible to assist patients and families maintain
psychosocial well-being by resolving existing barriers and creating connections to
solutions. Aspects of services include assessment, treatment planning, case
management, coordination of VA and community services, psychosocial treatment,
individual, marital and group counseling, discharge planning, community-based care
planning, patient education and financial and vocational planning.
C. Social Work Services are provided across the entire VHA continuum of care including
special emphasis programs serving the homeless, the seriously mentally ill, spinal
cord injured, women, poly-trauma patients and others.
D. VHA Social Work provides clinical training to over 600 MSW students annually.
2
DEFINITIONS
A 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 or
optometric services to be provided in the new or remodeled space.
B 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 Social Work Service is 1.30.
C 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.
D Functional Area: The grouping of rooms and spaces based on their function within a
clinical service. Typical Functional Areas are Reception Areas, Patient Areas, Support
Areas, Staff and Administrative Areas, Residency and / or Externship Program Areas.
E Input Data Statement: A set of questions designed to elicit information about the
healthcare project in order to create a Program for Design (PFD) based on the criteria
parameters set forth in this document. Input Data Statements could be Mission
related, based in the project's Concept of Operations; and Workload or Staffing
related, based on projections and data provided by the VHA or the VISN about the
estimated model of operation. This information is processed through mathematical
and logical operations in SEPS.
F
Program for Design (PFD): A space program based on criteria set forth in this
document and specific information about Concept of Operations, workload projections
and staffing levels authorized.
Social Work Service (Chapter 282): Page 2 of 6
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