The long delays for veterans seeking medical care at VA hospitals have prompted The American Legion to plan a short-term crisis center in Clarksburg.
The veterans’ organization will open a “crisis command center” at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center on Aug. 5 and 6. A town hall meeting is set for Aug. 4 at American Legion Post 31 in Shinnston.
The organization made earlier stops in St. Louis, El Paso, Texas; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Phoenix.
A federal audit found that the average wait time at the Clarksburg VA Center is 54 for new patients seeking a primary care doctor, 86 days for a specialist and 96 days for mental health services.
Medical center director Beth Brown has said her data showed waiting periods far below those figures.