Veterans and family members attend Veterans Town Hall Thursday at the Council on Aging.
WESTFIELD – The VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System held its first Veterans Town Hall in Westfield at the Westfield Senior Center on Thursday. About 75 veterans and their families attended the event to hear what programs are available for veterans and to sign up or ask questions about health care benefits.
John P. Collins, director of the organization and a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army Medical Department said the VA has been focusing on outreach. He said they’ve seen a 6% growth in new users, but many veterans are still not connected with healthcare benefits. He said he has hired 150 new employees in the three years that he has served the region, resulting in an increase in patient and employee satisfaction.
Westfield Veterans Service Office staff Bobby Callahan, James Jordan and Julie Barnes. Barnes is shadowing Callahan until he retires in July, when she will begin as Veterans Service Officer.
Collins also said their top clinical priority is to connect with veterans who are struggling. “20 veterans a day commit suicide, on average. 14 of those 20 are not connected to the VA,” Collins said, adding, “If you know of someone who’s struggling; please have them connect with us.” One way to connect is through a Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 press 1.
Another priority for Collins is the VA Medical Center in Leeds, which is the home base for the region. He said plans in the next five years are to renovate every part of the VAMC, which was built in the 1920s.
Also speaking were Robert Belcher of the National Cemetery Association, Curtis Evans of the Veterans Benefits Administration, Boston Regional Office, and Bobby Callahan, Veterans Service Officer for Westfield who spoke about state and local benefits.
Evans said everything the VA can do for veterans starts with separation papers, and encouraged them to keep the papers in a marked envelope for family members. “The most difficult thing we have on the benefits side is people who love you,” Evans said. “I guarantee you we’re going to be able to do so much more for you,” he added.
Westfield native Chris Riga, who is the Patient Experience Coordinator at the VAMC in Leeds, spearheaded the meeting at the Council on Aging.
State Representative John C. Velis attended the Town Hall, as did Mayor Brian P. Sullivan and City Councilors Nicholas J. Morganelli, Dan Allie, and Michael Burns.
“The VA is coming here, that’s the main thing. We need to do more to get veterans connected to their services. That’s why it’s so important,” Velis said. He said his main role in the meeting was to thank the groups for coming to Westfield.
Westfield native Chris Riga, who works for the VA as the patient experience coordinator, said he thought it was a good turnout for the meeting. Both Velis and Collins said Riga spearheaded the event at the Council on Aging.
“I spoke to the Veterans Service Officer and the Mayor. It’s a good idea for veterans and the city,” Riga said, adding, “It’s really important for veterans to come to these events and get the latest information. For those not enrolled or who have questions, they can begin here.”
