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Friday, February 10, 2012

Mobile VA center to treat veterans in rural Tenn.

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is sending a mobile "vet center" loaded with behavioral health counselors to treat veterans living in rural or otherwise medically underserved areas in Middle Tennessee, reports Kristin Hall of The Associated Press. VA health undersecretary Dr. Robert Petzel said mobile centers will bring "services to remote areas and provides a less threatening, more receptive and less bureaucratic way for these people to enter into VA care."

The centers are modified RVs with wheelchair lifts, private meeting areas, showers, computers, fax machines, phones and videoconferencing capabilities. They will provide rural veterans with a range of counseling services, including individual, group, family, alcohol and substance abuse and sexual trauma. Outreach and education about post-traumatic stress will be provided as well as employment guidance. The mobile center will have satellite uplinks, allowing counselors to help veterans sign up for benefits and enroll in VA health care.

"We can do a lot of things that normally they would have to come into a brick-and-mortar building to do," said Christopher Bonner, team leader at the Nashville Vet Center. This will prevent long drives to cities where VA centers are located, a trip some rural veterans often can't make. (Read more)

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous1:01 PM

    How about free legal advice for Vet's who are facing 'end of life' problems associated with wills, deeds,property,funeral arrangements, for first and second families disputes.

    ReplyDelete