Apr 27, 2004 By Amy Karpinsky 4 min read

It appears to be just a matter of time before the official announcement is made that a veteran’s outpatient clinic is coming to Fayette County. But when that announcement is made could be anybody’s guess. The announcement was expected to be made several months ago by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi and U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Robert Hixson, director of the Fayette County Office of Veterans Affairs, said Monday that he believes it is just a matter of time.

“It’s definitely coming,” he said of the clinic. Hixson said he is unsure why Principi hasn’t announced for Fayette County, since announcements were already made that clinics are on the way for Warren and Venango counties.

Last week U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) announced that the opening of a clinic in the county “has moved one step closer to fruition with the submittal of a full proposal to Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters by the VA’s Pittsburgh Healthcare System.”

Murtha said the project was delayed by a moratorium placed on the opening of new clinics during a study of the VA’s healthcare system and hopes are that later this year, after the study’s recommendations are finalized, the moratorium will be lifted and the Fayette County clinic will be approved.

Bill Turk, staff director of the veterans affairs committee, said although there is technically still a moratorium on the opening of new clinics nationwide, Principi was earlier willing to make decisions and announcements for three of the four recommended sites in the state under Specter’s urging. Specter is chairman on the Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs.

Turk said he didn’t know why such an announcement wasn’t made for Fayette County. He said it was his understanding that plans are going ahead in all four counties, including Fayette County.

Turk explained that Principi followed the recommendation of the CARES (Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services) study in announcing the clinics for Warren, Venango and Northampton counties. Turk said he has been concerned that the veterans in Fayette County will think that the clinic is not coming, but he said he doesn’t believe that is the case.

“I think its just bureaucracy (holding up the announcement),” Turk said. He added that decisions have been expected for some time on the closing of other veteran’s clinics in the state, and nothing has been announced.

According to Murtha, once the clinic is approved, bids would be issued and a vendor selected to choose a location and establish a clinic.

“These projects move fairly quickly after they’re approved, so we would expect the doors of the Fayette County facility to open about six months after the VA gives it the go-ahead,” Murtha said. “I’m pleased that we’re finally making real progress because we’ve put in a lot of time and effort on this clinic over the last couple of years so that area veterans can get convenient, quality medical care. It is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites said opening the clinic is very important for the 16,000 Fayette County veterans that served their country. He said they are in need of enhanced health care more than ever.

“We need a local clinic for day-to-day health care needs,” Vicites said.

Vicites said with a clinic in the county, veterans will have more options to get the health care they “deserve and very much need.” Vicites said because of the aging veteran population, it will be a big help to give services locally. “It’s been a priority of mine for the past three years and the sooner we get it, the better,” Vicites said.

The clinic will offer primary care and basic mental health services. It will be the fifth opened by the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. The others are in Washington County, Greensburg, Aliquippa and St. Clairsville, Ohio.