A controversial proposal to close the Northport VA hospital’s emergency room, move its medical and surgical services to local hospitals and its residential rehabilitation program to a Queens VA facility, drew fire this week from Sen. Chuck Schumer.
The proposal by the Veterans Administration, released two weeks ago, would mean the loss of Long Island’s only VA residential rehabilitation treatment programs, which provide care for substance abuse disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness and serious mental illness. Those programs would be transitioned 42 miles away from Northport to the VA medical center in St. Albans, Queens.
“The battle plan to ensure vets across Long Island get the care they fought for has been drawn,” Schumer said in a press release Monday. “Today, I am unveiling a full-scale advocacy plan to defeat the recommendations in the recent VA report that would all but shutter the VA medical center here in Northport.”
Schumer said he is launching a petition drive across Long Island and will engage the White House to prevent the changes.
“Northport is a one-stop shop for our Long Island vets. If they need it, it’s here. We should not slash Northport. It needs investment, and that’s the kind of plan I will be pushing for,” Schumer said.
The Northport VA campus would be modernized with repairs and deliver inpatient mental health, community living center and rehabilitation medicine services, the report states. The Northport VA Medical Center was first established in the 1920s. The main patient care facility was constructed in 1972. The report states that the current 268-acre campus does not meet current design standards.
A new multi-specialty VA clinic — similar to the one in Riverside — would be created in Western Suffolk in the vicinity of Commack.
Schumer’s plan is being supported by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk Veterans Services Agency Director Tom Ronayne.
“The current proposal by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs would slash critical services that thousands of our local veterans rely on, making it significantly more difficult for our local heroes to access the care they need and deserve,” Bellone said. “With the largest veterans population in New York State, we must do everything in our power to ensure that the men and women who fought for our country get the medical treatment they deserve.”
“The men and women who have worn the uniform of this great nation have earned their right to accessible and quality health care through VA. At a time when we have an aging veterans population and when our post 9/11 veterans are experiencing greater and more complex needs for primary and mental health care, VA should be investing in the needs of these veterans to ensure adequate care is given…not pulling VA out from under their feet. Our veterans are promised very few things, VA is one of them,” Ronayne said.
The VA is facing a decreasing enrollment on Long Island, according to the report. Between 2019 and 2029, the market for VA inpatient medical and surgical services is projected to decrease by 17.5%, demand for inpatient mental health services is projected to decrease by 8.8%, and demand for long-term care is projected to decrease by 11%. Demand for outpatient services, including primary care, mental health, specialty care, dental care and rehabilitation therapies, is projected to increase, the report states.
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