The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, in Tucson.
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough visited Tucson’s VA Medical Center on Friday to announce new projects that would expand access for Southern Arizona veterans.
The VA Medical Center will construct a new mental health clinic, and expand primary care as well as emergency services. McDonough says the move comes at a time when trust levels in veterans affairs are higher than they’ve ever seen before.
“That doesn't mean we're perfect by any means, but it does mean that we're getting better,” McDonough said. “These infrastructure enhancement efforts here on campus are evidence that we're continuing to improve so that we're ready for the thousands of new Arizona veterans.”
Expanded mental health and emergency services are expected to be complete by the end of the year with primary care expansions beginning in October. McDonough says the growth will help close wait times for veterans seeking services, as more of them enroll in benefits.
“Here in Arizona, we see thousands of Arizona veterans now accessing benefits as a result of the PACT act, and here in this facility, we've seen nearly 1,000 additional enrollees in health care here at the Southern Arizona veteran healthcare system.”
The PACT Act was the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. It expanded and extended healthcare eligibility for Veterans with toxic exposures.
McDonough was joined by Southern Arizona’s Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani, who, among other VA issues, has worked to cut wait times for VA disability claims that are waiting to be processed.
“The demand for these medical services and providers is only going to increase as more veterans become eligible,” he said. “We've got some work to do ahead of us, and I think efforts like that are the ones that are going to help us get there.”
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