GAF

[air1]

Check my medical records under myhealythvet and under VA notes ,My psychologist who is see regularly had noted in my records GAF done,but no score in my records showed. This i notice over a year same thing in records. I ask him yesterday on my last visit and he said it was recorded but for privacy it does not show in my records.Does this sound right,because when i got my private records it shows GAF that was recorded doing those visits.

[broncovet]

Your Global Assessment of Functioning Score (GAF) is not as important as it used to be.  Years ago, a GAF of xx would warrant a y percent rating.  VA got a lot of heat there ("gee how come I got a 45 GAF and only 30 percent, while this (BVA case Vet) was a 45 and awarded 70 percent?")

You see, the VA loves to keep their "discretion" in awarding what ever they so choose, and not have it come back on appeal.  So, they make things vague, on purpose.  

I would love it if they had a numbering system GAF where you could be assured if you got a certain GAF rating, VA would have to award a certain percent.  

There are BVA cases where GAF is still mentioned.  However, GAF score does not appear in the criteria for rating, and, remember, VA must rate on criteria.  They can not rate you on the color of your hair, or whether or not you have nose rings.  They must rate on the criteria, and this includes GAF score.  (GAF score, since its not mentioned in the schedule of rating disabilities, is "non criteria", and can not be used to give you a lower rating)

Its this way with hearing loss, and VA hates that.  You give the VEteran a hearing test, and, if he meets the Caluza big 3 for service connection, then you plug the hearing loss numbers into a computer and poof, you got a percentage (often zero percent).  

Because of this, docs dont often give a GAF score any more.  Some still do, others do not.  

I suggest you order a copy of your cfile, and see if another doc gave you a GAF score, if you want to know what your GAF score is.  

GAF scores are subjective.  This means one doc may say..GAF 30, while another may say GAF 80 or anywhere in between.  Also, your GAF score can/does change over time, and, as stated. varies with doctor to doctor.  

I would not worry too much about your gaf score.  ONe Vet printed out the rating criteria for 30/50/70 and 100 percent.  Then, he took all his medical exams and highlighted 30 percent with green, 50 with blue, 70 with red, and 100 with yellow.  

He then sent that color coded symptoms to VA.  He got the rating he wanted, and thought he deserved based on symptoms.  

Edited December 29, 2016 by broncovet

[air1]

I appreciate response, but my question is are not my GAF to show up in medical records if he noted in records that GAF done. Again he noted he did one but private not in records, unlike my private records which noted.Legally should not be in records if stated. Thanks

Edited December 29, 2016 by air1

[anxiousinMD]

My VA doc puts my GAF in his notes, we never discuss it, but it shows up in my blue button records download.

[Gastone]

Some VA and probably Private MH Clinicians as well, still use the GAF for comparison purposes only, for their own reference.

As Bronc stated, back say pre-12 or so, a Low GAF around 50 + or -, could help you get a PTSD rating, if all your other ducks were in a row. X number of MH Clincians interviewing the same Vet on or about the same day, could assign a wide range of GAF estimates.

I had a PTSD C & P VMC Psychiatrist assign a GAF of 49, My VA PTSD Group Social Worker had just the week before, put a 59 in my VMC records. A 10 point spread in one week, I guess, if they say so.

The New DSM - V removes the GAF as a reliable DXing tool. It's used now for individual Clinician's reference purposes only.

Semper Fi

[air1]

I look under blue button and download records and as i said above ,its noted in my records GAF DONE-but not listed ,if does not my clinician have an obligation to listed in my records and if not then do not list in records done.My problem is that if i submitt records for claim and then the VA have records but they use GAF scores that i can not see,on my next visit should i ask my clinician to see my GAF scores.

[broncovet]

You need to order your complete medical records.  As I explained your GAF score no longer relates to a particular disability rating.  If you want to know your GAF score, and it is not present in your records (unlikely), then ask your clinician.  

It does not make sense to do a GAF and then not have the score written down.  That would be like a car racer doing time trials, and then ask what the speed was when they respond, "Gee, we did not write that down".  

Most likely its in your records, you just have to look through them all.  My doctors reported my GAF scores, prior to 2012, but not every visit.   I dont know if that means they only report it on visits where it changed, or just did not bother.  As Gastone explained, GAF scores are being phased out.  

You probably dont check your gas mileage every mile you drive.  You check it once or twice..maybe on trips..then let it go.  Of course, some people constantly check their gas mileage numbers, while others have no clue what gas mileage their car gets.   I check mine when I first get the car...then only on long trips.  My wife has no clue..she thinks "E" means "Eventually, my hubby will fill up".  Its one of the things I do for her.  She has no idea how to open the hood, and she probably does not know where to fill the tank.   Dont think she is not smart tho...far from it.  She picked EVERY American Idol, correctly.  But, when it comes to numbers, she puts her head phones on and listens to music whenever she hears more than 2 digits in a sentence.  Numbers make sense to me, and graphs of things often appear in my head and explain why something happens, such as Fibonocci series, which Im fascinated with.  My wife thinks Fibonocci must be some kind of pasta.  
Maybe that is because a lot of people dont want to be a "number"...

"Hey, 49 GAF, How are you doing?"

"Oh, 39, Im fine, how are you, or were you talking to me, or 39 over there...we are both 39's, you know?"  

ONE problem with GAF scores (and IQ scores) is that people tend to live up to expections of them.  

So, if assigned a low GAF score, its easy to see, that I may just as well settle into being a 12 GAF score.  

Rememeber the mind is powerful.  Many times I have learned what Richard Bach once stated, "Argue for your limitions and they are yours."  

My second grade teacher may have said it better:  "I can't never did anything."  

In my own life, I learned a powerful lesson from a great friend in the military.  I watched in awe of him play blindfold chess, and explained I could never do that.  

About 2 years later, he asked if I trusted him.  I said, "Of course, Neil.  You know Im naming my son after you."  

"Ok, then. For the next 10 minutes, just do what I ask and trust I wont harm you.   Don't worry whether or not you can do it, just focus on doing as I ask."

I responded. "Sure.  Let's go".

He then proceeded to teach me to play blindfold chess as I could instantly do it, once I removed the mental block that I was not smart enough to do that.  

Dont sabatoge your own mental health healing by insisting you cant.  Let your limits be your limits, but dont presuppose you can not do that until you have tried WITHOUT convincing yourself its impossible.  

Edited December 30, 2016 by broncovet