Carper and Coons Join Veterans to Reveal New Dover VA Clinic on Veterans Day

Today, on Veterans Day, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) along with leadership from Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center and General Frank Vavala, former Adjutant General of Delaware, highlighted the new Kent County Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) which will better serve our Kent County veterans after it opens later this year.

The new facility in the former Blue Hen Mall at 655 S. Bay Road in Dover will increase the clinic space from its current size of 9,000 square feet to over 29,000 square feet. The additional space will allow for the expansion of services such as primary care, behavioral health, specialty services and telehealth.

“On Veterans Day we honor the men and women who volunteered to serve our country,” said Vince Kane, Director, Wilmington VA Medical Center. “In any other year, we would be holding big celebrations commemorating their service. But this year, we had to scale back, yet still find a way to show our appreciation, which is why we chose to hold this event at the new clinic in Dover. In VA it is our mission to put Veterans first in everything we do and provide them with exceptional health. It is our privilege to meet the health care needs and challenges Veterans face. This clinic will be an example of that commitment.”

“As a 23-year veteran of the Navy and a naval Reserves, I am so proud of this new clinic, and how we are giving back to our veterans. And what better day to give you all an early look at the inside than Veterans Day,” said Senator Carper. “With expanded services and more space, this beautiful new clinic will be a relief to so many Kent County veterans who will now be able to get more of their services closer to home, rather than have to drive up to Wilmington. We have a sacred duty to care for those who have sacrificed so much and served this country. Ensuring that they can easily access high-quality health care services like those that will be provided at the Dover CBOC is one important way that we can keep our promises to our veterans.”

“We have a sacred obligation to the veterans who made America,” said Sen. Coons. “And today, this expansion of services is an important way that we deliver on that promise. This new community-based outpatient clinic is absolutely critical to providing the services that veterans deserve, in a way they can access. As an appropriator, I try hard every year to make sure that we are fully funding the needs of veterans. We have just released the latest annual appropriations vehicle, which will add $10.8 billion to veteran services and outreach and designate $12.5 billion to emergency services.”

“I can think of no better way to celebrate Veterans Day than opening this incredible facility to serve those who have served us,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “I want to thank my colleagues, Senators Carper and Coons for their work to make this day a reality, along with the fine public servants at the VA. Most of all, though, I hope that this facility serves as a thank you to our servicemen and women who put their lives on the line to secure our freedoms.” 

The new clinic will include 18 primary care exam rooms, 12 mental health rooms, 5 specialty exam rooms, 3 women’s health rooms, optometry rooms, an audiology suite, phlebotomy lab, procedure rooms, telehealth rooms, conference/group meeting rooms, staging area for home-based primary care, physical medicine and rehabilitation suite, offices for care coordinators, and requisite waiting, check-in, storage, and medication rooms.

A list of services provided at the new CBOC:

• Primary Care
• Comprehensive Women’s Health
• Behavioral Health
• Social Work
• Lab (Phlebotomy)
• Specialty Exams
• Audiology
• Optometry
• Radiology (future)
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Telehealth (Teleretinal/Teledermatology)
• Pharmacist
• Nutrition
• Specialty Procedures
• Homeless Services
• Veteran Service Officer Office
• Vet Center Office Space