VA to Deploy Mobile Counseling Center to Birmingham

The first of a fleet of 50 new mobile counseling centers for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vet Center program was put into service today with the remainder scheduled to be activated over the next three months.

“Our widespread distribution of this fleet from coast to coast marks a new chapter in VA’s innovation to reach rural and underserved veterans with high-quality readjustment counseling,“ said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.

Each vehicle will be assigned to one of VA’s existing Vet Centers, enabling the center to improve access to counseling by bringing services closer to veterans.

The 38-foot motor coaches, which have spaces for confidential counseling, will carry Vet Center counselors and outreach workers to events and activities to reach veterans in broad geographic areas, supplementing VA’s 232 current Vet Centers, which are scheduled to increase to 271 facilities by the end of 2009.

Vet Centers, operated by VA’s Readjustment Counseling Service, provide non-medical readjustment counseling in easily accessible, consumer-oriented facilities, addressing the social and economic dimensions of post-war needs. This includes psychological counseling for traumatic military-related experiences and family counseling when needed for the veteran’s readjustment.

The team leader at each Vet Center will develop an outreach plan for use of the vehicle within that region, not being limited to the traditional catchment area of a particular Vet Center.

These vehicles will be used to provide outreach and direct readjustment counseling at active-duty, reserve and National Guard activities, including post-deployment health reassessments for returning combat service members.

The vehicles will also be used to visit events typically staffed by local Vet Center staff, including homeless “stand downs,“ veteran community
events, county fairs, and unit reunions at sites ranging from Native American reservations to colleges.

While most of their use will be in Vet Centers’ delivery of readjustment counseling services, the local manager may arrange with VA hospitals or clinics in the region to provide occasional support for health promotion activities such as health screenings.

The normal counseling layout can be converted to support emergency medical missions, such as hurricanes and other natural disasters.

The 50 vehicles are being manufactured for VA by Farber Specialty Vehicles of Columbus, Ohio.

Note: A list of the cities where the 50 vehicles will be based is
below.

  Home Bases of Planned Vet Center Vehicles

  Alabama               Louisiana
    - Birmingham           - New Orleans

  Arizona               Maine
    - Chinle             - Caribou
    - Prescott             - Lewiston

  Arkansas             Massachusetts
    - Fayetteville         - Springfield

  California             Michigan
    - Corona             - Escanaba
    - Fresno
    - Santa Cruz           Minnesota
    - Eureka             - St. Paul

  Colorado             Montana
    - Colorado Springs       - Missoula
                      - Billings
  Florida
    - Pensacola           Nebraska
                      - Lincoln
  Georgia
    - Savannah           New Mexico
    - Macon               - Santa Fe
                      - Las Cruces
  Idaho
    - Boise             New York
                      - Watertown
  Kansas
    - Wichita             North Carolina
                      - Greenville
  Kentucky
    - Lexington           North Dakota
                      - Minot
  Illinois               - Fargo
    - Springfield
                      Ohio
                      - Dayton
  Oregon
    - Eugene             Utah
                      - Salt Lake
  Pennsylvania
    - Erie               Vermont
    - Scranton             - White River Junction

  South Carolina         Virginia
    - Columbia             - Richmond

  South Dakota           Washington
    - Rapid City           - Spokane
                      - Tacoma
  Tennessee
    - Johnson City         West Virginia
    - Memphis             - Morgantown
                      - Beckley
  Texas
    - Amarillo           Wyoming
    - Midland             - Casper
    - San Antonio

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