Veterans will get a chance Wednesday to weigh in on where a new Department of Veterans Affairs clinic should be located in Pasco County.
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis has scheduled a town hall meeting for 5:30 p.m. at the West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive, New Port Richey.
“Although the final decision on the location remains in the hands of the VA, I feel it is my duty to solicit opinions from veterans and their families within our communities," Bilirakis said on his website. "This clinic is for them, and their considerations should be taken into account; that is why I am holding this town hall.”
Bilirakis, vice chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, pushed to include the clinic in a federal law approved two weeks ago to ease access to health care for veterans. A $16.3 billion package includes funds for 27 new or expanded clinics nationwide, but the only allocation for Florida is the Pasco clinic.
The plan calls for consolidating services at five existing clinics in New Port Richey and Port Richey: the main outpatient clinic, a dental clinic, a mental health annex, an eye clinic and a center that coordinates home-bound veteran services.
All of those would be housed in a single space in central Pasco - possibly in Land O'Lakes or close to a major population center such as New Port Richey.