Mineral County Veterans will now have access to more services thanks to the Mobile Vet Center. An initiative of the VA called VA2Vets was started a few years ago and provides centers that are equipped with a confidential counseling space and a state of the art communication package. The Mobile Vet Center travels to communities to extend VA’s reach to Veterans, service members and their families, especially to those living in rural areas like Mineral County.

The Center will be at the Mineral County Hospital on Monday, January 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  No appointment is necessary and participants get access to a number of services, including counseling for individuals, groups, or families. Counseling that covers issues such as bereavement for families who have experienced active duty death, military sexual trauma, substance abuse, and PTSD.

The Center also helps with employment and education assessment and they explain VA benefits and help navigate the health care system. Screenings and referrals for medical issues are also available which includes traumatic brain injury and depression.

“They use telemedicine,” explained MCH patient coordinator, Monte Turner, “there’s a nurse at the Center, and a person can talk (via satellite hookup) to a doctor or a counselor somewhere else, like in Washington DC or Fort Harrison. They can check your oxygen levels, and take your pulse and other vital signs. And then the results are available to doctors on the other end. This is a great opportunity for our vets. Especially those who don’t have transportation to go to the offices in Missoula.”

The Montana Veterans Affairs Department is located at the Veterans Cemetery at 1900 Tower Street (next to Big Sky High School), phone number (406) 542-2501.

Representatives from the department regularly travel to Mineral County on the third Wednesday of every even month. They meet vets at the Chamber of Commerce from 10 a.m. until noon. One of the services they offer is to help veterans navigate the VA Health Care System. Call 822-4891 for information. Their next appointment in Superior will be February 17.