Published: September 05, 2008 09:49 am      

New VA office set to open

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs will be hosting an open house Tuesday at its new veteran service office located at 4105 North Water Tower Place for local veterans, their families and survivors of fallen service members.

The office, one of the state’s 73 veteran service offices, offers help to veterans and their families in applying for and receiving compensation and benefits from the federal VA and the state, according to information from IDVA Director L. Tammy Duckworth.

The office is located inside the new outpatient veterans clinic. The first clinic was originally opened in 1997 and housed in a 2,800-square-foot basement office at Doctors Park and included three exam rooms, two offices and a treatment room.

The new facility spans over 6,000 square feet, has nine primary care exams rooms, four mental health rooms, a lab and EKG room, a conference and education room and an on-site office for Illinois State Veterans Service Officer Jeff Lewis.

Veteran Service offices serve as sign-up locations and informational hubs for the state’s programs and benefits, including the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program — a program that provides 24-hour, toll-free assistance for veterans, day or night, with the symptoms associated with post traumatic stress disorder and offers traumatic brain injury screenings for all Illinois veterans; and Veterans Care — Governor Rod Blagojevich’s health insurance program for to Illinois’ uninsured veterans.

Lewis will host the open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 112.