The clinic, which was dedicated last October, is located at 15145 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake, and is operated by the San Francisco VA Medical Center. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
With Lake County considered to have one of the highest per-capital veterans populations in the state – an estimated 10 percent – local leaders partnered with Congressman Mike Thompson to advocate for the clinic, a process which lasted for more than a decade.
In the nine months since its opening, the clinic's staff of 19 – including doctors, nurses, nutritionists and social workers – led by clinic director Dr. Mike Novak, is continuing to build a caseload, said Judi Cheary, public affairs director for the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
“We're seeing well over 1,000 veterans right now,” Cheary said Wednesday.
However, Cheary added that despite public outreach efforts thus far, clinic staff is still hearing from many veterans who are just learning about it.
“We're still working hard to get the word out,” she said.
Cheary added, “We have awesome support from the local service organizations as well. They're our best advocates as far as spreading the word.”
One of those groups is the United Veterans Council, which earlier this year launched its Vet Connect effort to connect veterans with available services.
Frank Parker, the council's president and Vet Connect chair, said the group meets twice a month – on the second Wednesday at the American Legion Post No. 437, 14770 Austin Road in Clearlake, from 9 a.m. to noon, and the same hours on the third Wednesday in Lakeport at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th St.
Parker said they are averaging four vets an hour during the three-hour sessions, with some of their referrals being for clinic services.
Now, as it works to reach more veterans, the VA has begun a new shuttle service that can take vets from several locations around Lake County to the Clearlake clinic.
“Veterans living in Lake County have expressed the need for transportation assistance to and from the Clearlake VA Clinic and this initiative is an attempt to address that need,” said VA Rural Health Coordinator Kathy King.
King said the following transportation schedule was developed to provide different options and locations for veterans living in the county.
The shuttle will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The schedule follows.
Tuesdays:
7:30 a.m. – Cobb: Hardester's Shopping Center, 16295 Highway 175
7:45 a.m. – Middletown: Perry's Deli, 21308 Calistoga Road, No. A
8:15 a.m. – Hidden Valley: Mug Shots, 18990 Coyote Valley
8:40 a.m. – Lower Lake: DJ's Pizza, 16135 Main St.
9:00 a.m. – Arrive Clearlake VA Clinic
2:00 p.m. – Depart Clearlake VA Clinic
2:50 p.m. – Lower Lake: DJ's Pizza, 16135 Main St.
3:05 p.m. – Hidden Valley: Mug Shots, 18990 Coyote Valley
3:20 p.m. – Middletown: Perry's Deli, 21308 Calistoga Road, No. A
4:00 p.m. – Cobb Cobb: Hardester's Shopping Center, 16295 Highway 175
Thursdays:
7:30 a.m. – Upper Lake: Hi Way Grocery, 160 W. Highway 20
7:50 a.m. – Lucerne: Highway 20 and First Street
8:15 a.m. – Clearlake Oaks: Highway 20 and Keyes Boulevard
9:00 a.m. – Arrive Clearlake VA Clinic
2:00 p.m. – Depart Clearlake VA Clinic
2:30 p.m. – Clearlake Oaks: Highway 20 and Keyes Boulevard
2:50 p.m. – Lucerne: Highway 20 and First Street
3:15 p.m. – Upper Lake: Hi Way Grocery, 160 W. Highway 20
Fridays:
7:30 a.m. – Lakeport: Grocery Outlet, 1155 S. Main St.
7:50 a.m. – Kelseyville: Kit's Corner, Highway 29 and Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road )
8:15 a.m. – Lower Lake: DJ's Pizza, 16135 Main St.
9:00 a.m. – Arrive Clearlake VA Clinic
2:30 p.m. – Lower Lake: DJ's Pizza, 16135 Main St.
2:50 p.m. – Kelseyville: Kit's Corner, Highway 29 and Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road )
3:15 p.m. – Lakeport: Grocery Outlet, 1155 S. Main St.
“I think this transportation system is a big step in the right direction,” said Cheary.
Parker acknowledges that travel has been an issue for veterans accessing the clinic, noting that while Clear Lake is the county's greatest asset, it also presents a travel barrier. He said the United Veterans Council has discussed transportation with the VA, and the VA is listening.
Regarding the new transportation services, Parker said, “The biggest thing is getting the word out. We have to let the people know it's available, and once they know it's available, they have to use it.”
For more information about the new service contact Dottie Deerwester at the Clearlake VA Clinic at 707-995-7238.
Veterans who wish to register for services can visit www.va.gov or www.sanfrancisco.va.gov, or call the VAMC Eligibility Office at 415-750-2015.
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