Commissioners call for the creation of a Veteran Center Community Access Point in Hunterdon County
Lanza and Soloway: "County Will Offer Free Space to the VA"
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Hunterdon County Commissioner John Lanza, co-liaison for Veterans Affairs, recently shared that he and Deputy Director Susan Soloway will be seeking federal help to establish a Veteran Healthcare Access Point in Hunterdon County, an initiative that would provide closer healthcare opportunities for local veterans.
The need for such a service was brought to the Commissioners attention by a representative from the Milford Holland VFW, during the recent Veterans Resource Fair, held on May 20 at the Route 12 County Complex.
“While the establishment of a VA healthcare service in Hunterdon County is ultimately a federal resource issue, we as a Commissioner Board will try and do everything possible to help facilitate and advocate for this to happen. To that end, in conversations between our County Administrator and Health Department Director, we have identified clinical space in our new Public Health Nursing Division that could be used by VA representatives to help bring care to our local veterans. We could offer this space to the Veterans Administration at no cost,” Lanza said.
On June 5, a formal letter seeking assistance in establishing a Veteran Center Community Access Point (CAP), in Hunterdon County was sent to Congressman Tom Kean Jr., and U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menedez, from Veteran co-liaisons, Deputy Director Susan Soloway and Commissioner Lanza.
The letter informed state legislators that veterans residing in Hunterdon County currently must travel nearly an hour to seek care at Lyons VA Medical Center in Somerset County.
Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) sent Dr. Shareef Elnahal, Under Secretary for Health from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs a letter, calling for a VA Vet Center in Hunterdon County.
“Veterans have sacrificed so much for our nation, and they deserve all the care, respect, and resources we can offer,” Kean. said “Despite the State of New Jersey’s relative size, many veterans must drive long distances to access care or rely on public transportation. The proposed Outstation in Hackettstown, Warren County, poses a challenge to veterans in Hunterdon County who would have to travel upwards of over an hour and a half to obtain care. I will continue to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the lives of veterans in the 7th Congressional District and ensure they have appropriate access to VA services.”
Warren County’s Veterans’ Service Office (WCVSO), is located at the 104th BEB U.S. National Guard Armory, at 550 Route 57 in the Port Murray section of Mansfield Township.
The VA plans to open a new Vet Center Outstation in Hackettstown with the exact opening date and location to be determined.
Additionally, a CAP center in Morristown County was recently announced, and the Commissioner Board in strong partnership with area veterans’ organizations would like to advocate for a similar facility to be located in Hunterdon County.
“The extended travel time for Hunterdon veterans to seek out needed medical care from the Veterans Administration is simply not acceptable. We hope that with the combined advocacy from our federal legislators and the Hunterdon County Commissioner Board’s offer of free office space, the Veterans Administration will be able to move quickly in creation of a CAP in Hunterdon County,” Lanza said.
