Tri-Cities Veterans Are About To Get Life Changing News

It's not a secret the men and women who have served our Country have had issues over the years with VA (Veteran's Affairs) services and care.  The most recent high profile problems was the years long attempt to modernize VistA which was the electronic records system introduced in the 1990s.

In 2018 the VA announced they were going to move to a system developed by Oracle.  It didn't go as planned as the rollout had to be 'reset' due to breakdowns and reports of patient deaths.  Washington State was the guinea pig for the rollout as the Spokane and Walla Walla VA hospitals were chosen to take part in the modernization effort.

Get our free mobile app

Many of the bugs were worked out and the amount of outages in the systems has dramatically dropped as the VA continues to modernize the system at more hospitals.  Other issues that veterans have faced with care have surrounded staffing, care coordination, and even treatment received.

The Tri-Cities has had an outpatient clinic for veterans in Richland since 2008 offering primary outpatient care, women’s health care, mental health/social work support and homeless veteran housing support.  That's about to change on the heels of a major announcement.

Funding For A Brand New Clinic In Tri-Cities Is Secured

Earlier today, Congressman Dan Newhouse's (R-4th District) office announced that over $48 million in funding has been authorized by the  House Veterans' Affairs Committee for a new outpatient facility in Tri-Cities.

The money comes from the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022.  Newhouse had this to say after the funding was officially secured.

This historic investment will revitalize veteran care in the Tri-Cities for over 16,000 veterans who call it home. Better access to modern care, benefits, and services for veterans has been a top priority during my time in Congress, and I am pleased to have secured the necessary funds to deliver new resources that will directly benefit those in our area who have served

Groundbreaking on the new clinic will have to wait until a site is officially selected, but this is huge news.  The expectation is that vets here may not have to drive to Walla Walla or Spokane for services that could now be provided in Tri-Cities.