Beginning this fall, U.S. veterans will be able to receive treatment from doctors of chiropractic at 26 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics in 20 states across the country. The announcement, made by VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi on June 25, marks another milestone in another milestone in the implementation of chiropractic in the VA system, and culminates several years of concerted efforts by the American Chiropractic Association and other organizations to provide veterans with much-needed chiropractic care.
"Today, [the] VA makes another significant improvement to the world-class health care we provide for eligible veterans," said Sec. Principi. "Veterans who will benefit from chiropractic services will now have the opportunity to receive chiropractic care to restore them to good health."
The VA was authorized to offer chiropractic care and services through provisions contained in Public Law 107-135. Also known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, the law established the Department of Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Advisory Committee "to provide direct assistance and advice to the Secretary in the development and implementation of the chiropractic health program" within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The committee was charged with advising Sec. Principi on protocols governing referrals to doctors of chiropractic, direct access to chiropractic care, scope of practice of chiropractic practitioners, and definitions of service to be provided, as well as advice on the development and implementation of the chiropractic health program.
In September 2003, the Chiropractic Advisory Committee drafted a list of 38 recommendations for Sec. Principi that covered various aspects of chiropractic involvement in the VA system. Included in the list were recommendations that doctors of chiropractic "should be integrated into the VHA health care system as a partner in a health care team," and that DCs, in conjunction with primary care physicians and other VHA providers, "should develop a collaborative treatment regime when patients present with concurrent neuromusculoskeletal and non-neuromusculoskeletal problems."
On March 30, 2004, Sec. Principi announced that he would implement the committee's recommendations and issued an order that the VA begin inclusion of chiropractic care. He added that the goal of the recommendations would be "to ensure that chiropractic care is ultimately available and accessible to veterans who need it throughout the VA system."
Under the new arrangement, care will be provided at 26 facilities - five more than Sec. Principi requested in March - located in each of the VA service regions (Veterans Integrated Service Networks, or "VISNs") across the country. Each facility will be equipped for a doctor of chiropractic to treat patients, and the Department of Veterans Affairs will hire DCs on a full-time or part-time basis, or contract with them to provide care. In consultation with VA primary care providers, DCs will offer patient evaluations and chiropractic care for neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
Chiropractic services will be provided at the following VA facilities, listed by region:
VISN-1
West Haven Campus
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
Tel: 203-932-5711
Fax: 203-937-3868
Newington Campus
555 Willard Avenue
Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-666-6951
Fax: 860-667-6764
Togus VA Medical & Regional Office Center
1 VA Center
Togus (Augusta), ME 04330
Tel: 877-421-8263 or 207-623-8411 (Note: While located in different cities, the two Connecticut sites are administered as one facility. One doctor of chiropractic will serve both facilities.)
VISN-2
3495 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14215
Tel: 716-834-9200
Fax: 716-862-8759
VISN-3
130 West Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, NY 10468
Tel: 718-584-9000
Fax: 718-741-4269
VISN-4
325 New Castle Road
Butler, PA 16001-2480
Tel: 724-287-4781
Fax: 724-282-4408
VISN-5
510 Butler Avenue
Martinsburg, WV 25401
Tel: 304-263-0811
Fax: 304-262-7433
VISN-6
1601 Brenner Avenue
Salisbury, NC 28144
Tel: 704-638-9000
Fax: 704-638-3395
VISN-7
1 Freedom Way
Augusta, GA 30904-6285
Tel: 706-733-0188
Fax: 706-823-3934
VISN-8
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612
Tel: 813-972-2000
Fax: 813-972-7673
1201 N.W. 16th Street
Miami, FL 33125
Tel: 305-575-7000
Fax: 305-575-3266
VISN-9
P.O. Box 4000
Mountain Home, TN 37684
Tel: 423-926-1171
Fax: 423-979-3519
VISN-10
543 Taylor Avenue
Columbus, OH 43203-1278
Tel: 614-257-5200
Fax: 614-257-5460
VISN-11
1900 East Main Street
Danville, IL 61832-5198
Tel: 217-554-3000
VISN-12
325 East H Street
Iron Mountain, MI 49801
Tel: 906-774-3300
Fax: 906-779-3114
NO VISN 13 or 14 (combined in 2002 to create region 23)
VISN-15
4801 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64128
Tel: 816-861-4700
Fax: 816-922-3303
VISN-16
1500 E. Woodrow Wilson Drive
Jackson, MS 39216
Tel: 601-362-4471
Fax: 601-364-1359
VISN-17
4500 South Lancaster Road
Dallas, TX 75216
Tel: 214-742-8387
Fax: 214-857-1171
7400 Merton Minter Blvd.
San Antonio, TX 78229
Tel: 210-617-5300
1901 Veterans Memorial Drive
Temple, TX 76504-7451
Tel: 254-778-4811
Fax: 254-771-4588
VISN-18
1501 San Pedro Drive, SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108-5153
Tel: 505-265-1711
Fax: 505-256-2855
650 E. Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Tel: 602-277-5551
VISN-19
1892 Williams Street
Fort Harrison, MT 59636
Tel: 406-442-6410
Fax: 406-447-7916
VISN-20
1660 S. Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98108-1597
Tel: 800-329-8387
VISN-21
150 Muir Road
Martinez, CA 94553
Tel: 925-372-2000
Fax: 925-372-2851
VISN-22
11301 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90073
Tel: 310-478-3711
Fax: 310-268-3494
VISN-23
2501 W. 22nd Street, P.O. Box 5046
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5046
Tel: 605-336-3230
Fax: 605-333-6878
Veterans who are eligible for care but do not live near any of the above locations will be able to receive chiropractic services through an outpatient fee-basis program, after receiving a referral from their primary care provider and prior authorization by the department.
The ACA was quick to praise the actions of Sec. Principi in announcing the sites at which chiropractic care will be provided:
"The American Chiropractic Association applauds Sec. Principi and the DVA for this quick, decisive action to ensure that the nation's veterans receive the chiropractic care they need and deserve," remarked ACA President Donald J. Krippendorf, DC. "The VA operated at light speed to designate these sites, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to implement other key elements of the secretary's initiative and to ensure the highest level of care for those who answered our country's call to serve."
"This long-overdue program hopefully marks the beginning of a permanent new care option for veterans, and ICA is committed to expanding the availability of chiropractic services to every community, and to securing direct access to chiropractic care," added Dr. Michael McLean, an International Chiropractors Association board member who served on the Chiropractic Advisory Committee.
Chiropractors interested in providing their services to veterans are encouraged to contact the Human Resources offices of the above facilities. A complete listing of VA facilities is available online at http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/map.asp?divisionid=1. Some positions may also be listed at a VA job Web site (www.vacareers.com).
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