Manchester VA Increases Veterans Urgent and Walk-In Care Locations Eightfold

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Manchester VAMC has expanded its MISSION Act community urgent and walk-in care locations and now has providers in the following areas:  Alton; Belmont; Colebrook; Concord; Epping; Hampton; Hooksett; Lebanon; Londonderry; Manchester; Milford; Nashua; Portsmouth and Salem.  Only two weeks ago, there were ten locations in New Hampshire, and today, there are over eighty urgent and walk-in care centers within a 50-mile radius of Manchester VAMC.

The MISSION Act established a new urgent care benefit that allows eligible Veterans access to urgent and walk-in care at participating clinics in their communities.  

 “Our aim is to provide exceptional service that encourages Veterans to choose Manchester VA for their health care.  Our work is to compliment that care with a network of MISSION Act community care locations that cover the entire Granite State,” said Alfred Montoya, Director, Manchester VAMC.  “With more choice than ever before, our work and commitment to Veterans is to provide access to quality and timely care that meets their needs and is close to home.”  

This is a giant step forward in terms of convenience for our patients, as eligible Veterans do not need to get prior authorization from VA to visit an urgent care provider in VA’s network.  

This urgent care benefit is meant to give Veterans a convenient way to get treatment for minor injuries and illnesses such as colds, strep throat and pink eye. To be eligible for urgent and walk-in care, Veterans must be enrolled in the VA health care system and have received care through VA from either a VA or community provider within the past 24 months.

As an example of how this works, please see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kW7Dutw3Y  

Prior to seeking care, Veterans are encouraged to learn about their Urgent Care benefits here:  https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/veterans/Urgent_Care.asp.  MISSION Act urgent and walk-in care providers in the community are expanding daily with many centers participating across New Hampshire.  Veterans can find an Urgent Care or Retail location at https://vaurgentcarelocator.triwest.com/Locator/Care

Manchester VAMC is expanding services and its physical structure to best serve Veterans in New Hampshire.  For example, the medical center is breaking ground for a new Urgent Care and Mental Health building which will be located at the main campus of the medical center in Manchester, and a new state-of-the-art VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Somersworth is expected to open in September.  

For more information about your VA go to:  www.Manchester.VA.gov 

Kristin Pressly

Public Affairs Office 

Manchester VA Medical Center 

718 Smyth Road 

Manchester, NH 03104

NH Vets Group - POW Bible Display Lawsuit

18 Aug 2019

The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester | By Shawne Wickham

CONCORD -- The veterans group that sponsors the oldest continuing POW-MIA vigil in the country is asking a federal court to allow it to intervene in a case that centers on whether a former POW's Bible can be featured in a lobby display at the Manchester, New Hampshire VA hospital.

The Northeast POW/MIA Network is seeking intervenor status in the case, filed by a veteran against the VA Medical Center in U.S. District Court, that claims the presence of the Bible in the display is unconstitutional.

New Hampshire members of the group were responsible for creating the lobby display.

Every Thursday evening for 30 years, the group has hosted a vigil in Meredith, New Hampshire to honor those who were prisoners of war and to keep alive the memory of those who remain missing in action from America's wars. It also sponsors an annual POW/MIA vigil each June that draws hundreds to the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee to remember those still missing.

Last year, New Hampshire members of the network sought and received permission to place a "Missing Man Table" in the lobby of the VA Medical Center in Manchester. Such displays are meant as a remembrance of service members who were POWs or MIA.

The Manchester display includes a Bible donated by Herman "Herk" Streitburger, a Bedford man who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II and was captured and held as a German POW before managing to escape. Streitburger, who is now 100 years old, was featured in a recent New Hampshire Sunday News article.

But the display soon drew controversy. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, based in New Mexico, filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of veteran James Chamberlain, the named plaintiff, claiming the Bible's display violates the Constitution.

The Texas-based First Liberty Institute is representing the Northeast POW/MIA Network in its motion to intervene in the case. In court papers filed Thursday, lawyers described the tradition of the Missing Man Table as dating to the Vietnam War and noted such displays have become permanent features at public forums across the nation, including at a public library in Athol, Massachusetts, and a VA hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

Typically, such displays contain symbols of those missing, including a slice of lemon to represent their "bitter fate," salt to represent the tears of their loved ones and an inverted glass signifying their inability to join in a toast.

Last month, in response to a request from First Liberty to clarify the policies governing such displays, the Department of Veterans Affairs issued updated directives stating that "religious symbols may be included in a passive display in public areas of VA facilities."

In a letter to First Liberty, Juliana Lesher, national director of the VA Chaplain Service, said the July 3 directives "are designed to uphold the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ensures that the government does not establish one state religion as well as ensures the free exercise of religious faith by all people."

A pretrial hearing on a motion to dismiss the case is set for Sept. 16.

This article is written by Shawne Wickham from The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

More Pics from The Healing Wall

More pics from today’s Conway Daily Sun. Lots of articles on The Wall.

Opening Ceremonies - speakers

During the opening ceremonies post 95 had two speakers. John Pandora and Frank McCartthy. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

John Pandora

                                   

Frank McCarthy

The Wall is up!

It took many volunteers to assemble the wall. Thankyou all!

The Wall That Heals - Arrives in Conway

Visit the wall at The American Legion Post 46 on Tasker Hill road in Conway NH. It will be open 24 hours a day from from Thursday 10:00am through Sunday Noon.A handicapped shuttle will be in service from 9am to 6pm, making stops at Kennett Middle School, The Ham Ice Arena, St Margaret's and Post 46. It was made available by Eldridge Transportation of Effingham.

Thursday  10:00am - Opening Ceremonies
Friday.      08:00pm - Candlelight Vigil
Saturday   02:00pm - Wreaths will be laid at the wall

Steve Woodcock and Dave Haskell - Took part in escorting The Wall