What is GAF?
GAF, the G stands for Global so it’s an overall view of your total, whole, GLOBAL, condition and includes everything you suffer from. The Global Assessment of Function (GAF) Score will show up as the Axis V (Roman Numeral) of the Psychiatric Evaluation. The Score is of most importance for rating purposes at the time of your C&P exam. However, it will also show up on periodic reports made by one or more of your VAMC providers of care. Their score is a guide that reflects how you are doing at the time of each of your visits to a VAMC Mental Health Clinic. For rating purposes the C&P evaluator’s score carries a lot of weight; but know this your GAF score can and will change over time depending on the subjective judgment of the person evaluating you. DO NOT assume that because you received a low GAF at one C&P that you will receive a high rating from a rating specialist, DRO, or the BVA. The GAF is very subjective and a rating specialist will not base his or her decision just on the number
