State of Nevada and VA pilot initiative to improve access to health care for traveling Veterans

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev.– The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the State of Nevada launched a new pilot program to connect Veterans in rural areas with telehealth and mental health resources.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) posted flyers at rest areas across Nevada to help connect Veterans to VA resources while they are traveling. The flyers share information about Veterans’ telehealth options, the closest VA location, and the Veterans Crisis Line -- empowering Veterans to access care based on their emergent, urgent, or routine health care needs.

VA collaborated with the State of Nevada after seeing successful efforts in states across the Rocky Mountain region. As the country’s seventh largest state, Nevada maintains more than 100,000 miles of roadways, to include the Interstate Highway System and State Highway System.

"We are excited to collaborate with the VA to share information about health care options for Veterans at more than 30 rest areas across the state,” said NDOT Director Tracy Larkin Thomason. “As a major travel corridor for both the Southwest and Mountain West, we believe this is a unique opportunity to reach the thousands of individuals who utilize our rest areas on a daily basis. Many drivers and their family members could benefit from services like VA Telehealth, and we are proud to play a small part in getting the word out.”

This effort is also a reflection of the importance VA places on collaborating with community and governmental organizations where Veterans receive care. The VA Southern Nevada Health Care System, headquartered in North Las Vegas, provides that care to Veterans in southern half of the state. The VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, based in Reno, provides care in the northwestern portion of the state. The far northeastern area of Nevada is covered by the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System.

“We serve a growing Veteran population here in Nevada, and as a hub of tourism, we see even more Veterans visiting our communities every year,” said VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Executive Director William Caron. “We appreciate this collaboration with the State of Nevada to ensure all Veterans are aware of their care options when traveling through our great state.”

Rural health care is often limited because of various challenges with funding, care requirements, and expansive geography. This campaign will help connect Veterans with VA resources and maintain their continuity of care within the VA health care system based upon the “Anywhere-to-Anywhere” Telehealth Practice Authority using VA Video Connect.

After rolling out the project in Nevada, VA plans to continue the initiative in other states.

John Archiquette, Public Affairs Specialist

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