Military veterans will be able to access primary care and mental health services at rural mobile clinics planned for Bingham, Jackman, Greenville and Dover-Foxcroft.

The Department of Veterans Affairs/Togus VA Medical Center, based in Augusta, plans the clinics as part of a continued effort to increase availability to veterans, according to Jim Doherty, a spokesman for Togus VA.

"We hope to have it up later this spring," Doherty said Friday.

The actual clinic would be a trailer that travels to the rural communities and sets up on a cement slab equipped with electricity. Electronic medical records allow for medical professionals to access veterans' records, Doherty said.

With so many people traveling to different areas for the winter, the VA is able to take care of veterans, no matter where they are, he said.

"They can be tracked seamlessly," he said.

The clinic would be staffed by a provider $ a medical doctor, osteopathic doctor, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or registered nurse $ and a social worker for mental health services, according to Doherty. An administrative clerk also would be on hand.

The VA plans to go into communities to speak with people about the planned clinics prior to their actual launching, he said.

Jackman Town Manager Kathleen MacKenzie said Friday that the clinic there will be beneficial to area veterans who have to travel long distances now to get services.

"I think obviously, it would be wonderful," MacKenzie said.

Edward McCall, commander of the 20-member William B. Doughty Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5723, based in Jackman, also was enthusiastic about the clinic and said veterans will be relieved to know they will not have to travel up to three hours to get to Augusta for services.

"They will be ecstatic," McCall said. "I think it will be very well received because we have some elderly gentlemen and it's really hard for them to get down there. We have a couple here whose family members have to take a day off from work to take them to an appointment."

McCall also is a member of the Arno Huey American Legion Post 122, of Jackman, which has nearly 70 members, most of which are from Jackman.
McCall said this is the first he has heard about the clinics and he is anxious to hear more.

The VA currently has six full-time community-based outreach clinics that provide primary care, laboratory and mental health services, Doherty said. They are located in Bangor, Calais, Caribou, Lincoln, Rumford and Saco. Two part-time primary care clinics are available in Fort Kent and Houlton, and two mental health clinics are in Portland and Bangor, he said.

"We'll be opening up another outpatient clinic in Lewiston in 18 to 24 months," he said. "We'll re-locate our Bangor one."

Doherty said the mobile clinic for Jackman, Bingham, Greenville and Dover-Foxcroft is currently being built, and the VA is looking for places to set them up in those towns. The VA has put out requests for proposals and must have pads poured for the mobile clinics. Electricity also must be installed.

"We have a generator on board, but we prefer to have electricity," Doherty said.

The VA also has special offices called "Vet Centers," located in Bangor, Caribou, Lewiston, Portland and Sanford that offer readjustment counseling for combat veterans, according to Doherty.
Two new vans are being assigned to those centers to do outreach in places where no offices are available, he said.

Amy Calder $ 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com