VA offering free training for rural clergy
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Chaplain Center, in conjunction with the Salem VA Medical Center, is offering a one-day workshop to educate rural clergy about how they can partner with the VA to support rural Veterans. Community clergy, chaplains and Veterans Service Organization representatives are invited to attend.
It has been estimated that one-fourth of individuals who seek help for a mental health problem do so from clergy. “Many people are exclusively seen by a member of the clergy, and not by a physician or mental health professional,” said Chaplain Jeni Cook, Associate Director, National VA Chaplain Center. Chaplain Cook is leading the Rural Clergy Training Program, which is supported by the VA Office of Rural Health (ORH). Read more
Senators raise issue with proposed Roanoke VA office renovations
U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner on Thursday sent a letter requesting Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and General Services Administrator Martha Johnson re-evaluate plans to renovate the Roanoke Veterans Affairs Regional Office.
The renovations, as currently planned, would likely exacerbate the VARO’s high backlog rate without solving some of its major infrastructure needs, the senators are saying.
“While we commend efforts to increase facility energy efficiencies, we are concerned that these scheduled improvements will inhibit ongoing efforts to reduce the Roanoke VARO’s growing claims backlog and will fail to address its long-term capacity issues,” Webb and Warner wrote in their letter. “We ask that you consider alternatives to the current reconstruction plan.”
The senators suggested that rather than spending over $50 million to refurbish the Poff Building, the VA could construct a new facility that meets federal environmental efficiency standards, addresses Roanoke’s current infrastructure needs, allows claims processing staff to continue working without disruption during construction, and improves convenience for veterans.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Helping disabled veterans
Column by David Cox
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net
As the General Convention goes about its business in Richmond, it’ll take up a matter that everyone voted for last time. Before they do again, I hope they’ll look at a better way of meeting their objective: helping disabled veterans.
Last winter, the House and Senate passed unanimously a constitutional amendment that would exempt veterans, who because of their service to the nation were 100 percent disabled according to the Veterans Administration, from paying local property tax. As a proposed amendment, it gets another reading this winter, and if passed again would go to us voters in November.
At the time I groused about it as still yet another unfunded mandate by which the state, which usually insists local governments pay for some duty, in this case cuts into the revenues of localities: property taxes are among the few funding sources for cities and counties. I noted that all politicians oppose unfunded mandates…then all our Assembly politicians voted for one. Read more
VA selects site for Staunton clinic
Staff Report
The VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network and Salem VA Medical Center announced today that a site has been selected for the establishment of a Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Staunton.
The clinic will be located at 1002 Natasha Way in Staunton. VA will lease space within a building that will be constructed on the property. When completed, the facility will provide 7,500 net usable square feet of clinic space. Read more
A simple solution on health-care reform
Column by Robert Dean Banta
With all the details and sideline deal-making of the current health-care reform efforts it seems the answer of how to pay for health care must be much simpler than the tangled spaghetti Congress now twirls their forks around.
In imagining what I want out of health-care reform I have come up with the following idea, which does everything Congress and the president are now trying to do, but just through a much simpler plan. I will call my plan, The Banta Plan, after my last name and with more than a little fun poked at myself. Read more
