Local veterans to have VA access closer to home From the cover
Current situation
VA clinic travel averages*
Temple VA clinic
130 TOLL
110
Drive time
Distance
190 NEW Round Rock VA clinic
The VA operates a larger hospital and clinic in Temple, which many local veterans utilize because the southeast Austin and Cedar Park clinics are smaller, community-based outpatient clinics, said Tom Palladino, Texas Veterans Commission executive director. “Veterans have to travel a long way,” he said. “Especially if they’re disabled veterans, you’re putting a burden on them. So, proximity is really important.” According to CTVHCS, more than 28,000 veterans within a 30-minute drive of the new Round Rock site were enrolled in the VA health care system as of 2019. For Georgetown residents and Vietnam veterans Steve and Diane Klutz, these new clinics could mean receiving health care closer to home, they said. “De nitely, if they had meeting areas for veterans for support groups, that would be nice [and] then you wouldn’t have to drive as far,” Diane Klutz said. “It’s the same as trying to get your records. It would be nice to be able to go to a closer clinic to get your blood work done and then go for your appointment.” A location has not yet been determined for the Georgetown clinic.
to Temple clinic to Austin clinic to Cedar Park clinic to Round Rock clinic
45 minutes- 1 hour
50 miles
Temple
112
N
25-40 minutes 15-30 minutes 12-24 minutes
24 miles
195
35
95
9 miles
9 miles
Georgetown
Cedar Park VA clinic
29
Drive time
Distance
79
Round Rock
to Temple clinic to Austin clinic to Cedar Park clinic to Round Rock clinic
40-50 minutes 35-50 minutes 20-35 minutes 15-30 minutes
40 miles
Cedar Park
Hutto
33 miles
183
130 TOLL
13 miles
Austin
Austin VA clinic
290
8 miles
71
*BASED ON AVERAGE TRAFFIC AT 9 A.M. FROM CITY CENTERS. SOURCE: GOOGLE MAPS COMMUNITY IMPACT
N
Williamson County's 10-year veteran population outlook
Zooming in
The local impact
50K
The Klutzes said they have both utilized mental health services at the Temple VA clinic for years. Soon, they and other area veterans will have access to them at closer clinic locations. Steve Klutz began receiving VA health care after experiencing a mental health crisis follow- ing 9/11, and has since formed a strong bond with his psychiatrist. “Mental health-wise, when I went to them, … they understood PTSD, and it was good,” he said. “They o er many things to veterans, especially those of us who have been to Vietnam, or World War II or Korea—who have been in combat.” Diane Klutz said there are still some improve- ments the VA could make to address women’s health needs, but said her experience receiving mental health care has continued to improve. “I think the thing for a woman is that, even as early as after 9/11, and the rst decade of the 21st century, [the VA] still didn’t know what to do with women a whole lot,” she said. “I think they’re working on that. I do my psychiatric stu through them, and I’m very pleased with that side of it.”
According to Palladino, the Round Rock clinic is set to provide primary and preventive care, specialty services such as physical therapy, and mental health support. While the Georgetown clinic details are still being nalized, Carter said there will be a focus on mental health services. The TVC will also work to place health care advocates in the new clinics, Palladino said.
Projected
45K
43,174
40K
Round Rock clinic services
37,098
35K
Telehealth services On-site laboratory and imaging services Mental health counseling and therapy programs
Women’s health services Pharmacy support Specialty
30K
0
care such as cardiology, orthopedics and pain management
NOTE: PROJECTIONS WERE COLLECTED FROM THE VETPOP2023 DATASET. SOURCE: NATIONAL CENTER FOR VETERANS ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM COMMUNITY IMPACT
40
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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