The VA has opened a new health clinic in Colebrook, part of a plan to expand coverage to veterans in the North Country.
It is using some exam room and office space at the Indian Stream Health Center, says Dr. Hugh Huizenga, the Chief of Primary Care at the White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
It is starting out two days a week but plans to expand to every weekday as new staffers are hired, he said.
It will offer services including primary care and mental-health counseling.
It will also make it easier for veterans to get care, he said.
“We have over a 100 veterans getting care through the VA system who are from Colebrook. We expect that most of those patients will transfer some of their care to the Colebrook area and that additional veterans in the Colebrook area who were not able to access our care conveniently before will now be able to utilize the clinic there.”
The clinic in Colebrook is the second new VA clinic to open in the North Country this year.
In June a greatly expanded clinic in Littleton opened.
Huizenga said the VA is still looking for space for a clinic in Berlin.
For years New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation has lobbied for more facilities in the North Country citing travel challenges.