MIRECC / CoE
Newsflash | Resources | Returning Veterans Project
NewsFlash | Returning Veterans Project
VA partnerships serve hard-to-reach populations
VA aims to provide mental health care and other services to all Veterans, regardless of their location or circumstances, but not all Veterans are enrolled with VA.
To reach them, VA often works with community service providers, who have boots-on-the-ground contact with this population.
Returning Veterans Project (RVP) serves Veterans and former service members in Oregon and southwestern Washington. The VISN 20 (Northwest) MIRECC and VA Northwest Health Network have a mutually beneficial relationship, demonstrating how even unofficial partnerships and collaborations can result in gains for Veterans.
A mutually beneficial relationship
Non-profit RVP is based in Portland, Oregon. They address the challenges of transitioning back into civilian life for area Veterans who served in war zones since 9/11. Through its growing network of volunteer health care providers and specialists, RVP provides free treatment to Veterans and former military personnel, some of whom can’t or choose not to access VA services. The program makes care more accessible for thousands in the region.
VA’s relationship with RVP is rooted in shared missions of providing top-tier care and helping Veterans and their families overcome barriers that keep them from accessing quality resources. By working together to find the best ways to serve hard-to-reach populations, RVP and VA are boosting public trust in both institutions, exemplifying how collaborations can enhance care for Veterans — not just those enrolled with VA.
Informal relationships can benefit the community organizations involved as well as VA. With the VA-RVP collaboration:
- Volunteer providers can access VA educational resources on mental health, including continuing education programs that provide insight about challenges unique to those who served.
- Providers benefit from insights into military culture and information about VA research, resources and approved treatments.
Future VA collaborations
Since the VISN 20 MIRECC formed, it has focused on delivering care and assistance to underserved and rural communities in the Northwest. A unique feature of Oregon and southwestern Washington is the region’s lack of active bases, which can make it more difficult to contact already hard-to-reach groups of Veterans.
By working together, VA and local groups like RVP can provide care to Veterans who may otherwise go without the services they earned and need.
If you are interested in exploring similar relationships with community service providers in your area, email visn20mirecc@va.gov. The team can explain how the RVP partnership was established and how it benefits providers, community organizations and Veterans.
Drs. James Boehnlein and Ruth Ann Tsukuda have been associate directors for education at the VISN 20 MIRECC since its inception in 1998. They are co-directors of the Portland postdoctoral fellowship site for the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment. Dr. Boehnlein is a professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), and his research and clinical work focus on cross-cultural assessment and treatment of PTSD. Dr. Tsukuda is an assistant professor in OHSU’s School of Medicine Division of Management. Her academic interests center on interprofessional practice and organizational ethics.
This article published on June 9th, 2022 and first appeared on the VA Insider Blog, the official intranet website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Use of these Materials and Finding VA Health Care
Please note that the health care information provided in these materials is for educational purposes only. It does not replace the role of a medical practitioner for advice on care and treatment. If you are looking for professional medical care, find your local VA healthcare center by using the VA Facilities Locator & Directory. This page may contain links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
VA Regional Offices
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) helps service members transition out of military service, and assists with Veterans with education, home loans, life insurance and much more. Service members, Veterans, their families, and Survivors are invited to request information on VA Benefits including disability compensation, pension, fiduciary, education, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), Home Loans, and Insurance. In addition to information on VA Benefits Veterans may initiate an intent to file and request assistance with filing compensation and pension claims. Visit regional office websites to learn about the services the regional office provides, directions to the facility, hours of operation, and the leadership team that serves the regional office.
Find out if you can get VA health care as a Veteran
The following four categories of Veterans are not required to enroll but are urged to do so to permit better planning of health resources:
- Veterans with a service-connected (SC) disability rated at 50% or more.
- Veterans seeking care for a disability the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, but which VA has not yet rated, within 12 months of discharge.
- Veterans seeking care for a SC disability only or under a special treatment authority.
- Veterans seeking health registry examinations. VA’s health registry evaluation is a free, voluntary medical assessment for Veterans who may have been exposed to certain environmental hazards during military service. The evaluations alert Veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to exposure to specific environmental hazards during their military service. VA has established several health registries to track and monitor the health of specific groups of Veterans. You may be eligible to participate in one or more of these health registries: Agent Orange Registry, Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, Gulf War Registry (includes Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn), Ionizing Radiation Registry, Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program, and Toxic Embedded Fragment Surveillance Center. Use the chart below to help determine your eligibility.
Find out how to apply for VA health care benefits as a Veteran or service member. For other mental health services, contact a VA medical center for information on eligibility and treatment options.
Vet Centers in VISN 20
Vet Centers in VISN 20 are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. 1-877-927-8387 is an around the clock confidential call center where combat Veterans and their families can call to talk about their military experience or any other issue they are facing in their readjustment to civilian life. The staff is comprised of combat Veterans from several eras as well as families members of combat Veterans. This benefit is prepaid through the Veteran’s military service.
Alaska
| Anchorage Vet Center (Anchorage, AK) | Fairbanks Vet Center (Fairbanks, AK) |
| Kenai Vet Center Outstation (Soldotna, AK) | Wasilla Vet Center (Wasilla, AK) |
Idaho
| Boise Vet Center (Boise, ID) | East Idaho Vet Center (Idaho Falls, ID) |
Oregon
| Central Oregon Vet Center (Bend, OR) | Eugene Vet Center (Eugene, OR) |
| Grants Pass Vet Center (Grants Pass, OR) | Portland, OR Vet Center (Portland, OR) |
| Salem Vet Center (Salem, OR) |
Washington
Plan your trip to VA
In 1946, Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) was established by law to provide comfort and well-being to America’s Veterans. With our many retail stores, cafés and coffee shops across the country, we serve those who have served our country. We are a self-sustaining entity providing merchandise and services to Veterans enrolled in VA’s healthcare system, their families, caregivers, VA employees, volunteers and visitors. We are honored to give back to the VA community through many programs established for the health and well-being of our nation’s heroes. Revenues generated from VCS are used to support a variety of programs, such as VA’s Rehabilitation Games, Fisher Houses, Poly-Trauma Centers for OIF/OEF/OND Veterans, disaster relief efforts, Substance Abuse Cessation, VA’s Homelessness initiatives, Women Veterans, Veteran Suicide Prevention and other activities.
VCS operates over 200 Patriot Stores in Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Centers nationwide. Many of our stores have been recently updated and expanded to provide our customers with a modern, clean and comfortable shopping experience. Our stores welcome our customers with wider aisles, wood-like floors, enhanced lighting and directional signage. PatriotStores have expanded hours of operation to provide service for customers on weekends at most locations.
The Patriot Cafe is the best place in the VA Medical Center to enjoy delicious, freshly prepared breakfast or lunch served hot or cold each weekday. Providing Veterans, their families, VA employees, volunteers and visitors a place to relax and enjoy a meal or take-out for their convenience. With a wide variety of food from traditional comfort food, specialized menu selections and a large assortment of healthy choices; there is something for everyone's taste buds.
Hospital Service Directory
To find out whether there is a van near you use the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Hospital Service Coordinator Directory to contact your nearest HSC for information or assistance. Please remember that the DAV Transportation Network is staffed by volunteers; therefore, it is unable to cover every community. The vans are driven by volunteers, and the rides coordinated by more than 133 Hospital Service Coordinators around the country. Our nation’s heroes travel around the globe to protect our freedoms—it’s only right that we return their dedication. Volunteering to drive a Vet ensures that even those living remotely from VA hospitals can make their appointments and never go without the treatment they need. Learn more about the DAV transportation network through the VISN 20 NewsFlash Resources section.
Today's VHA - the largest of the three administrations that comprise the VA - continues to meet Veterans' changing medical, surgical, and quality-of-life needs. VHA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. There are 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) in VHA operating as regional systems of care to better meet local health care needs and provides greater access to care. In the Pacific Northwest, VISN 20 serves Veterans in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, most of Idaho, and one county each in California and Montana. Spanning 23% of the US land mass, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles, VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. According to DoD, American Indians and Alaska Natives have one of the highest representations in the United States Armed Forces. VA consults with American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments to develop partnerships that enhance access to services and benefits by Veterans and their families. VA is committed to ensuring that Native American Veterans and their families are able to utilize all benefits and services they are entitled to receive. As of the end of FY2024, 39% of VISN 20 enrollees resided in rural or highly rural areas. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) provides health care for Veterans from providers in the local community. VCCP includes General Community Care, Urgent Care, Emergency Care, Foreign Medical Care, Home Health and Hospice Care, Indian and Tribal Health Services, In Vitro Fertilization, State Veterans Home, and Flu Shots.
VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) serves Veterans from a five-state area in the Pacific Northwest with two main divisions: American Lake VA Medical Center and Seattle VA Medical Center. Veterans Medical Centers are also located in Spokane, Vancouver, and Walla Walla. VA Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers are located in Bellingham, Bellevue, Bremerton, Edmunds, Everett, Federal Way, Lacey, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Port Angeles, Puyallup, Richland, Renton, Silverdale, Seattle, Spokane, Union Gap, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima.
VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) serves Veterans in Oregon and Southwest Washington with two main divisions: Portland VA Medical Center and Vancouver VA Medical Center. Veterans Medical Centers are also located in Roseburg, White City, and Vancouver, Washington. VA Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers are located in Astoria, Bend, Boardman, Brookings, Eugene, Fairview, Grants Pass, Hines, Hillsboro, Klamath Falls, LaGrande, Lincoln City, Newport, Portland, Salem, The Dalles, and West Linn.
