by Victoria Howell
There was a big turnout on Friday, March 14 for the grand opening of the new VA Clinic in Hamilton. The event featured a ribbon cutting with visiting officials, a free lunch and tours. Veterans health care providers were also on hand to talk with folks about the services they provide.
The large crowd included a number of people who were there to express concern over recent cuts to the VA workforce. (A federal judge recently halted the cuts, at least temporarily.) Some people held signs thanking former U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who served as Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and was instrumental in passing a number of bills that directly benefited veterans.
The new 8000-square-foot facility will provide healthcare for veterans and in many cases will eliminate the inconvenience of traveling to Missoula for care. Tom Carlson, RN (at right in photo), is the telehealth coordinator for Montana VA. He was able to talk with veterans and their caregivers at the grand opening to let them know about the availability of telehealth appointments through the clinic. Photo by Victoria Howell.
Bill LaCroix, a veteran who held a large sign on Hwy 93 at the turnoff to the clinic that said, “How does firing 70,000 VA employees help vets?,” was skeptical about whether the VA could actually provide the necessary services to veterans if the staff cuts get implemented permanently. In an email he sent to the Star, he said, “The new VA chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, claims to be merely paring down the agency to 2019 numbers, inferring, we guess, that it’s therefore no big deal. But isn’t that just the thing with these interesting times? Some high-paid bureaucrat who never had to wait for hours to talk to a human being on a phone to get medical help (which we personally did pre-2019) telling us that’s all we deserved then, and all we deserve now.”
In spite of any concerns expressed, staff at the new clinic is confident that the Bitterroot Valley’s large number of veterans can now receive good care at the newly constructed facility at 1331 N. 1st Street. The clinic provides 8,000 square feet of space, about six times the size of the old office. The clinic includes space for physical and mental exams and consultations, physical therapy, blood draws and other lab work, telehealth and more. The clinic hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The local phone number is 406-363-3352.
Veterans Bill LaCroix, Michael Helling and Saundra Amsden display a sign on Hwy 93 at the turnoff to the new VA Clinic in Hamilton. According to LaCroix, he didn’t get an answer to his big question at the grand opening. Photo by Victoria Howell.
“Opening this new clinic in Hamilton is one way that we are trying to fulfill our promise to provide world class healthcare for Montana’s veterans,” said Duane Gill, Montana VA Executive Director, prior to the grand opening. “For nearly a decade, the previous Hamilton CBOC dedicated itself to serving the veterans in this community. While this location served us well for many years, we saw steady growth in the veteran population in and around Ravalli County. With a new and larger location, we are now able to serve more veterans and offer expanded services to veterans in the Hamilton area.”
Veterans, family members, caregivers, and survivors can learn more at va.gov/montana-health-care.
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