PORT TOWNSEND — Veterans can learn of health care options in Jefferson County during a special fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
Veterans Healthcare and Assistance in Jefferson County will be at Fort Worden Commons. A Discover Pass is not required, and a light lunch will be provided.
The free event will provide veterans with connections to medical services, according to its organizers.
“Any veteran can benefit from this information whether they are in need or not,” said Rita Frangione, outreach coordinator for Veterans Community Partnerships.
“Anyone who needs assistance getting the benefits to which they are entitled will find help here.”
Sessions, discussions
A series of sessions and panel discussions is planned.
They include a briefing on the Veterans Choice Program, which provides insurance, a review of outpatient clinics and a guide as to when to seek congressional assistance given by Judith Morris, representing U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer.
Kilmer represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
Representatives of services will staff tables and offer information about addiction treatment, mental health services, nutrition and caregiver support.
Veterans in county
Frangione said 4,600 veterans live in Jefferson County, which at 15 percent is one of the highest per capita veteran populations in the state.
The appeal of the location for many is the area’s isolation, which can also cut both ways, she said.
“We have a more peaceful lifestyle, and that’s attractive to veterans who want to avoid crowds or are suffering from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” she said.
“Some of them served locally, in Kitsap County or other locations,” Frangione continued.
“They loved it when they were in the [military] service and want to come back here to live.”
The isolation of the area can require veterans to believe they need to seek services outside of the county, she said.
Local options
Today’s event will connect them with local options of which they may not be aware.
“We want to show them how they can receive health care without having to travel to Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton or Port Angeles,” Frangione said.
As the Afghanistan conflict winds down, more veterans are expected to return home, but there are no estimates as to how many may locate in Jefferson County, Frangione said.
Whatever the number, they will be better treated than those returning from Vietnam 40 or more years ago, she said.
“When the Vietnam veterans came home, they weren’t made to feel welcome, and there’s still a lot of pain from how they were treated,” she said.
“Providing these services is a way to heal those wounds.
“Today, there is more recognition about veterans’ issues from the community at large, what their needs are and what they’ve gone through.”
Frangione said the Veterans Community Partnerships plans to organize events in Port Angeles and Forks. They had not been scheduled as of this week.
For more information, to RSVP for the event or to arrange transportation, email vetconnect@olycap.org or call 360-344-4940.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
