VA Clinic Groundbreaking at the Oregon Veterans' Home‏

Good news for veterans in Central Oregon.

Good news for veterans; the VA is opening a new clinic in The Dalles. Iraq photo by Tim King Salem-News.com

(THE DALLES, Ore.) - The Portland VA Medical Center will hold a brief groundbreaking ceremony for the VA The Dalles Clinic at 10:00 AM Friday, November 21st, at 704 Veterans Drive in The Dalles.

The VA says that when complete, the 1,288 square foot clinic will provide primary care and mental health service to veterans in The Dalles area. "This new facility in The Dalles will ease the burden of travel for more than 1,200 veterans who currently use other Portland VAMC facilities for their medical care," David Stockwell, Portland VA Medical Center, Acting Director said.

"We are pleased with the partnership and support of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs to place primary care and mental health services closer to the veteran population in The Dalles and surrounding communities."

The Portland VA Medical Center team is temporarily seeing currently enrolled veterans one day per month in a space donated by the Oregon Veterans' Home. When completed, the new clinic will see patients four days per week, according to Mike McAleer with the Portland VA Medical Center.

The Portland VA Medical Center serves more than 60,000 veterans in Oregon and Southwest Washington. In addition to the main campus located on Marquam Hill, the Portland VA Medical Center operates the Vancouver campus and Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in East Portland, Salem, Warrenton and Bend, Oregon.