Save the VA

Patrick Russell Interviews with “Inside Government” on Proposed Closure of Hot Springs VA Medical Center

afgeunion — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:19:39 +0000

AFGE Department of Veterans Affairs Local 1539 President Patrick Russell objects to the proposed closure of the historic VA Medical Center in Hot Springs, S.D.

AFGE Local 1539 President Patrick Russell Radio Interview on Hot Springs VA Facility

afgeunion — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:31:57 +0000

AFGE Local 1539 President Patrick Russell at Sen. Thune town hall.

AFGE Local 1539 President Patrick Russell interviews with Rick Smith of the Rick Smith Show about the proposed closure of the Hot Spring VA Medical Center in South Dakota. (The interview begins 1hr 16min into the program.)

Click here to listen to interview.

[Photos] Rep. Kristi Noem Visits Hot Springs to Hear Concerns Over Proposed VA Closure

afgeunion — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:12:03 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

Related news articles:

Noem vows to work with Hot Springs on VA issue | Rapid City Journal | February 5, 2012

Noem addresses Hot Springs VA concerns | ABC KOTA Territory News | February 5, 2012

[Photos] ‘Save the VA’ Campaign Supporters in Hot Springs, SD Pack Sen. Thune Town Hall

afgeunion — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:54:31 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

Concerns over proposals to close Hot Springs VA facility

afgeunion — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:13:40 +0000

Follow the news reports here:

One-time homeless veteran fears impact of VA plans | Hot Springs Star | February 21, 2012

Veteran works to prevent proposed Hot Springs VA closure by speaking out, painting signs | KOTA TV | February 22, 2012

KENT: If you dismantle it, they will go | Rapid City Journal | February 9, 2012

Letter to the Editor by Hot Springs VA Advocate Mary Goulet | Hot Springs Star | February 6, 2012

Noem vows to work with Hot Springs on VA issue | Rapid City Journal | February 5, 2012

Noem addresses Hot Springs VA concerns | ABC KOTA Territory News | February 5, 2012

Hot Springs VA closure is still far from reality | ABC KOTA Territory News | February 2, 2012

Noem skeptical about plan to organize VA healthcare system | Rapid City Journal | February 2, 2012

Letter to the Editor by Hot Springs VA Advocate Paul Nabholz | Hot Springs Star | January 31, 2012

SAVE THE VA CAMPAIGN Happenings | Hot Springs Star | January 31, 2012

Hot Springs VA prominent in Thune town hall | Rapid City Journal | January 29, 2012

Asheville’s Susan Reinhardt on the operating hours for a coffee cart at the VA Medical Center being cut in half | The Asheville Citizen Times | January 20, 2012

‘Save the VA Campaign” holds informational meeting | RapidCityJournal.com | January 21, 2012

Veteran: ‘Hot Springs VA Saved My Life’ | Rapid City Journal | January 24, 2012

Brief history of the Hot Springs VA facility

Veterans Fight To Save Hospital | Keloland Television | January 11, 2012

Task force visit prompts emotional pleas to save VA medical center | RapidCityJournal.com | January 10, 2012

Committees working to fight proposed VA changes | Hot Springs Star | January 10, 2012

Panhandle veterans support Hot Springs VA | RapidCityJournal.com | January 10, 2012

Hot Springs hospital board worries about role VA plans | RapidCityJournal.com | January 10, 2012

Elected delegation questions VA proposal | RapidCityJournal.com | January 5, 2012

Fight against VA proposal continues | RapidCityJournal.com | January 5, 2012

Hot Springs residents rally to save local hospital | Associated Press | December 23, 2011

Veterans at state home worry about VA health changes | RapidCityJournal.com | December 20, 2011

Aging buildings, low census prompt VA’s proposal to move to Rapid City | RapidCityJournal.com | December 19, 2011

Business community rallies to save Hot Springs hospital | Rapid city Journal | December 18, 2011

Feedback Sought On Hot Springs VA Proposal | Keloland Television | December 13, 2011

‘Save the VA’ meeting scheduled | RapidCityJournal.com | December 14, 2011

AFGE Fights Proposed Closure of Historic Hot Springs VA Facility

afgeunion — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:01:47 +0000

The American Federation of Government Employees strongly objects to the proposed closing of the historic Hot Springs, South Dakota VA Medical Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs has proposed shuttering this facility, which is part of the Black Hill Health Care System, covering South Dakota, and portions of Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. The dismantling of this facility would force veterans to attend other facilities in the network that are between 50 and 100 miles away or be pushed to private sector health care centers that may lack the expertise in treating veterans.

“Hot Springs is a veterans’ town and our VA facility has served America’s heroes for more than 100 years. The proposal by the agency to close the doors of this veterans’ care center, on top of its already diminished capacities, is an outrage,” said Patrick Russell, president of AFGE Local 1539. “This has become a pattern with the VA, where we are finding the agency systematically closing its in-patient care facilities, in order to solely operate outpatient clinics and be in the business of managing contracts with the private sector. This is no way to care for our nation’s vets.”

AFGE members, the American Legion, veterans, community members and other supporters have mobilized grassroots efforts in Hot Springs to petition the agency to keep the facility open to area veterans. The historic facility has been the ideal location to treat those with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions, given its small town atmosphere.

“We are deeply concerned by the VA’s proposal to close this facility, which has been a pillar in the Hot Springs community for more than a century. Veterans have praised the care they’ve received at this location and the agency would be doing a major disservice to our nation’s heroes by diminishing the services provided at this facility,” said J. David Cox, AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer. “Our mission to care for those who have sacrificed for this country should not be overshadowed by VA management’s desire to outsource veteran care to the highest bidder.”

For more information on the grassroots efforts to maintain the services at the Hot Springs VA Medical Center please visit www.theveteranstown.com.

Below are photos from the Jan. 10, 2012 meeting held by national American Legion representatives on the future of the Hot Spring VA campus.

Click to view slideshow.

For more photos from the event please click here.

AFGE’s National VA Council Meets with Senator Sherrod Brown

afgeunion — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:13:24 +0000

Pictures from the NVAC’s legislative meeting with Senator Sherrod Brown.

The AFGE National VA Coucil Legislative Commitee meets with Senator Sherrod Brown.National VA Council President Alma Lee meets with Senator Sherrod Brown.

National VA Council President Alma Lee meets with Senator Sherrod Brown.

AFGE and other VA Unions Voice Concerns Over VA Tracking System

afgeunion — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:19:00 +0000

AFGE National Veterans Affairs Council leaders voice concerns over the VA’s proposals for a Real-Time Location System used for tracking within VA facilities. Initial proposals have suggested its use to track employees. Read more on this troubling issue:

Unions slam VA plan to track employees electronically | Nextgov.com | Dec. 14, 2011

VA’s Real-Time Location System: A way to improve patient safety, or Big Brother? | Nextgov.com | Dec. 5, 2011

AFGE Testifies Before VA Senate Committee on Access Woes Plaguing the VA Mental Health Care System

afgeunion — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:05:16 +0000

Veterans face mounting waiting times and barriers to specialty care due to staffing shortages of appropriate providers

Click to view slideshow.

Today, the American Federation of Government Employees and its National VA Council (NVAC) testified before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs at a hearing on the challenges veterans face when accessing mental health care services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). AFGE supports an immediate investigation into these issues in order to best serve the needs of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions. AFGE represents more than 205,000 VA employees, including nearly 120,000 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees providing direct services to veterans.

The testimony was delivered by Dr. Michelle Washington, union activist with AFGE Local 342 who also serves as coordinator of PTSD Services and Evidence Based Psychotherapy at the Wilmington VA Medical Center. In her testimony as a representative of the union, Dr. Washington outlined AFGE’s concerns regarding staffing shortages, poor human resources practices and mismanagement within the agency. The lack of behavioral health providers has resulted in widespread failure to provide timely appointments, including specialized care where frequent sessions are critical, such as evidence-based psychotherapies.

Dr. Washington’s commitment to veterans is deeply personal. “I come from a long line of veterans from past and current conflicts,” said Washington. “Sadly, my own experiences confirm that my facility lacks adequate staff to allow me to treat patients on a timely basis in order to maximize the effectiveness of treatment.”

Staffing shortages also extend to the clerical staff and other personnel who play a critical role in support of patient care through their experience in scheduling, records management and other support functions. The VA’s failure to hire more medical support staff to back up its clinical staff interferes with providers’ ability to focus on patient needs.

“AFGE strongly opposes VA’s ongoing campaign to downgrade medical support personnel without a thorough analysis of the duties of impacted employees,” stated NVAC President Alma Lee. “These frontline employees are extremely dedicated to serving our veterans and something must be done to remedy the ills they face at work on a daily basis.”

Dr. Washington’s testimony, on behalf of AFGE, also included reports from other health care professionals within the VA who are experiencing the same challenges related to mental health care access and wait times and the need for management to be held accountable for mismanagement of resources and violations of laws and regulations. “We cannot continue turn a blind eye to management’s abuse of authority where they have engaged in wait list data manipulation, pressured providers to change appointments and retaliated against employees who use appropriate avenues to advocate for patient needs,” said AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David Cox.

AFGE and the NVAC are committed to working with the agency, Congress and other stakeholders to improve the delivery of mental health services for our veterans who have sacrificed for this country.

Click here to view news coverage of Dr. Washington’s testimony.

AFGE VA Local 2152 Celebrates Veterans Day

afgeunion — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:46:29 +0000

AFGE Veterans Affairs Local 2152, serving our nation’s veterans in Reno, Nev., celebrated this Veterans Day by participating in a local parade. Members of Local 2152 proudly serve America’s heroes and advocate for improved patient care and employee rights at their facility.

Click to view slideshow.