Maryalice Morro

TIFTON, Ga. — The Tifton VA Clinic invites veterans and other stakeholders to an informational fair at the Leroy Rogers Senior Center, 315 W. Second St., from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday.

This event is intended to allow VA stakeholders a chance to learn about VA programs and services available at the new clinic. VA staff will be on-hand to discuss benefits, eligibility and enrollment, according to a press release. Representatives from Tift Regional Medical Center and ResCARE Home Care will also attend.

At a Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce meeting Thursday at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture, VA representatives gave members and guests an update on the local clinic.

Maryalice Morro, director of the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, which is the parent facility for the Tifton VA Clinic, said the local clinic will serve approximately 5,000 veterans. The clinic will have a lead physician, Christopher Richards, MD, and three providers, as well as a psychiatrist and psychologist. It will have a total of 52 employees.

Morro expects the Tifton clinic to open in late summer and is enthusiastic about enhancing veterans’ access to care by bringing VA services to the area. She said this has been in the planning process for several years. A ribbon cutting is planned for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 31.

Clinic manager Donna Ammons told the crowd at Thursday’s meeting that the reason why Tifton was chosen to open a VA clinic is because of the convenience for veterans so that they won’t have to travel far to get help.

“We’re here for them (veterans),” Ammons said. “I’m committed to this.” She also said Tifton is a great community.

According to the press release, Dr. Frank Jordan, communications chief for the Dublin VA, encourages community members and anyone with an interest in veterans’ issues to attend Saturday’s informational fair.

“We’ve gotten a lot of interest in our Tifton clinic and wonderful support from the community, so we want everyone to join us at the informational fair and subsequent events so that they can see what we offer to our veterans,” he said.

Ammons said the fair will also present community health care providers with an opportunity to learn how they can collaborate with VA to provide care to veterans.

Another informational fair/town hall meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 15 at the Leroy Rogers Senior Center.

“We’re very excited to be joining your community,” Morro said.

The Tifton VA Clinic will be the sixth outreach clinic that belongs under the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center.

The clinic will be located at 1824 N. Ridge Ave. Hours of operation will be Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and services will include primary care, mental health and other basic health care services. Additional services will be available through the use of Tele-Health, a new VA initiative that allows veterans to access some health care needs using interactive visual technology.

Veterans are advised to keep appointments already scheduled at other VA facilities until their care is transferred and an appointment is scheduled at the new Tifton CBOC. Veterans not currently enrolled in VA health care may obtain an application form online at www.va.gov or can visit the clinic after the opening to pick up an enrollment package.

For more information about the informational fairs or services available at the clinic, contact Ammons at Donna.Ammons@va.gov or by calling (478) 272-1210, ext. 2427.