INDIANAPOLIS — A new VA clinic on Indianapolis' east side is one step closer to becoming a reality after supporters signed the final beam being used in its construction.
WATCH FULL STORY BELOW
Its goal is to expand access to care in Central Indiana.
The 54,000-square-foot clinic is part of the VA's plan to expand. Indianapolis' east side was identified as a location in need of more access.
VA officials say it's also a result of the PACT Act, a 2022 law significantly expanding VA healthcare and disability benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.
The clinic, located at 9402 E. 21st Street, Indianapolis, is expected to open in spring 2027.
When completed, it will house 10 PAC teams and serve approximately 12,000 veterans in the local area.
"What this will do is bring this closer to the veterans; it makes it easier for them to come in and get care," Mark Turney of the Roudebush VA Medical Center said.
The new clinic comes as some Hoosier veterans have struggled to access care near their homes.
Army veteran Pamela Coleman, who lives on the east side, previously had to travel to the Roudebush VA Medical Center in downtown Indianapolis without a car.
"I had to catch two, maybe sometimes three buses to get here, and that was hard," Coleman said.
Coleman said she's experienced longer wait times for service at the downtown center.
"Sometimes you may get an appointment that's a month from the day that you wanted one because there are so many veterans going to the same place," Coleman said. "You get discouraged because they say, 'Well, your appointment is not for a month and a half from there.'"
The clinic hopes to relieve some of the pressure on the downtown VA Medical Center. Turney acknowledged the new facility will help address those challenges, along with shortages faced by healthcare systems nationwide.
"It certainly will be a solution to some of that," Turney said.
Vietnam veteran Hollis Thomas, who started taking advantage of VA benefits, said he hopes the new clinic's proximity will also encourage more Hoosiers in the area to take advantage of available care.
"Availability means everything, and to have it in close proximity, and it is more accessible, it's probably going to lengthen the lives of some people," Thomas said.
Coleman echoed that sentiment, urging fellow veterans to use the resources available to them.
"If it's out there, use it. We deserve it. We put our time in," Coleman said.
In the meantime, Hoosiers are encouraged to visit the VA facility closest to them.
__
