VA Mobile Health Care Clinics Reach Rural Veterans

Service Coming to 24 Counties in Six States

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is rolling out four new mobile health clinics outfitted to bring
primary care and mental health services closer to veterans in 24 predominately
rural counties, where patients must travel long distances to visit their
nearest VA medical center or outpatient clinic.

"VA is committed to providing primary care and mental health care for veterans
in rural areas," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.
"Health care should be based upon the needs of patients, not their ability to
travel to a clinic or medical center."

The pilot project is called Rural Mobile Health Care Clinics. It features a
recreational-type vehicle equipped to be a rolling primary care and mental
health clinic.

VA is currently in the process of procuring and outfitting the vehicles, and
officials expect the mobile clinics to be operational by early 2009. Rural
areas in Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming will share a single mobile van, while
Maine, Washington state and West Virginia will each have a VA mobile van.

The clinics are planned to serve:
-- Colorado:Larimer, Jackson, Logan, and Weld counties;
-- Maine:Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis counties;
-- Nebraska:Cheyenne, Kimball, and Scottsbluff counties;
-- Washington state: Greys Harbor, Mason, and Lewis;
-- West Virginia:Preston, Randolph, Upshur, Wetzel, Roane, and Taylor
counties; and,
-- Wyoming:Albany, Carbon, Goshen, and Platte counties.

Factors considered in the selection of the participating sites included a need
for improved access in the area, the degree to which clinics will expand
services and collaborations with communities the clinics serve.

For the latest news releases and other information, visit VA on the Internet
at http://www.va.gov/opa.

To receive e-mail copies of news releases, subscribe to VA's list server at:
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/opalist_listserv.cfm.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Public Affairs, +1-202-461-7600