West Linn proving fine choice for new VA clinic

By Cliff Newell

The West Linn Tidings, May 27, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

SUBMITTED PHOTO / PETER CHEE, WWW.PETERCHEEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

The new VA West Linn Clinic opened a few weeks ago at 1750 S.W. Blankenship Road in West Linn and is already helping veterans. Staff at the clinic said they hope to treat up to 7,000 veterans in the area for primary and mental health care — especially women because 15 percent of the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are women. The clinic will officially open June 1 and the public is urged to visit the 10,000-square-foot space to celebrate.

In just a few weeks of being open the VA West Linn Clinic is doing just what was intended from the start: moving health care closer to veterans.

“On April 19 we received our first patients,” said Mike McAleer, VA public affairs officer. “Things have gone just as we expected.”

The new clinic at 1750 S.W. Blankenship Road is well on its way toward achieving the goal of treating up to 7,000 veterans in the area for primary and mental health care.

June 1 will be the clinic’s grand opening, featuring U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, other dignitaries, punch, cookies and much more. The public is urged to attend. The 10,000-square-foot facility will be fully equipped by that date.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” McAleer said. “They say it’s a nice location, nice neighborhood, easy parking, and the staff loves it.”

“When you make clinics available, people take advantage of it,” said clinic director Bonnie Kostelecky. “Clients come here because it’s closer and convenient and they love the doctors.”

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