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Congressman Sam Farr Gets Credit for Saving Capitola VA Clinic from Closing
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Congressman Sam Farr Gets Credit for Saving Capitola VA Clinic from Closing
By Debbie Friedman
When Veterans Affairs (VA) authorities in Palo Alto decided in late 2004 to close the County’s only VA Clinic, it appears they forgot to mention the decision to the veterans that currently use the clinic. The Clinic is located in Capitola on 41st Avenue. Congressman Sam Farr sits on the committee that oversees the VA budget, and after learning about the proposed closure he became involved in the issue.
On Dec. 15, Farr received confirmation from Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson that the clinic would remain open.
Open most weekdays Monday through Thursday, the primary care clinic saves war veterans the time necessary to drive out of county to other VA facilities. In 2004, the clinic’s nurses treated 896 veterans with a total of 2,803 visits. These visits were approximately 60 percent primary care visits and 40 percent mental health clinic or post traumatic stress disorder visits. For more specialized services or treatment veterans still have to drive to Monterey or San Jose.
“When I first learned of plans to close the Capitola VA Clinic, I was shocked. I could see no justification for denying primary health care services to our local veterans and forcing the several hundred patients that rely on this clinic to go elsewhere,” Farr said. “Through meetings and correspondence with the local VA administrators, discussions with the VA in Washington and questions to Secretary Nicholson during Congressional hearings, I was able to bring attention to the situation in Capitola and prevent a reckless bureaucratic decision from going forward without full consideration of the effects on our local veterans.”
Initially, Congressman Farr slowed down the closure by inserting language into a bill providing FY2005 funds for the VA to re-evaluate the closure decision.
“I am thrilled that the Secretary listened to the arguments I and the local veterans [from the] community presented in defense of the Capitola Clinic and made the right choice. During this time of war and increase reliance on the VA system, we need to do everything possible to maintain the timely, high-quality healthcare our veterans deserve,” Farr added.
Local nurses at the Capitola clinic said federal regulations prevent them from commenting on the situation and referred the request to Kerri Childress, Spokesperson for the Palo Alto VA Health Care System that manages the six VA clinics in the region. “I’ve have been to the Capitola clinic and I’m sure the veterans and nurses that have served the clinic for many years are happy that it will remain open,” Childress said.
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