Director’s Message

Kelly Fitzpatrick

experience are exactly what we need to help take ODVA to the next level of achievement as we continue to modernize our IT systems and business processes, enhance and operationalize our understanding of DEI, and continue to implement our five-year strategic plan. I am excited that she has agreed to join our team!

USDVA Secretary Denis McDonough Visit to Oregon

The Secretary of USDVA Denis McDonough visited Oregon in April, the first SecVA known to have come to Oregon. I was grateful to be invited to join him and other VA leadership in executive-level meetings at the Portland VA Healthcare System and Portland Veterans Benefits Regional Office. His remarks included two major issues of shared concern: (1) significant decreases in VA staffing across the country, and (2) the challenged Oracle-Cerner Electronic Healthcare Records system that has been implemented. Sec. McDonough committed to using the new authorities Congress has given the VA to expedite hiring. He also committed to addressing ongoing concerns with the new Electronic Healthcare Records system. Days after his visit VA announced a delay in further rollouts of the system to fix the problems that have been identified at the five existing implementation sites, two of which are in Oregon (Roseburg and White City).

Also as part of his visit to Oregon, I joined Sec. McDonough during a listening session with student veterans at Portland State University (PSU). PSU invited ODVA’s Campus Veteran Coordinator Joe Mah to attend as well. Approximately 70 student veterans and PSU staff/faculty attended and discussed issues ranging from concerns about accessing VA benefits for toxic exposure; employment assistance post-graduation; and the need for improved military/veteran cultural competency of PSU staff and faculty. Approximately 5% of PSU’s 22,000 students are veterans or military connected individuals. PSU has a vibrant Veteran Resource Center that received funding from ODVA’s Campus Veteran Resource Center Grant Program in 2021-23 ($44,000). ODVA enjoys a great partnership with Oregon’s public universities and community colleges that support our veterans. Joe and I were pleased to have been part of that listening session.

Oregon Veterans’ Home Tour and Discussion with Portland VA Healthcare System Director

In April the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles hosted Portland VA Healthcare System Director David Holt. He toured the facility and sought feedback on how Portland VAHCS can partner even more closely with ODVA to provide services for veteran residents of the Home. ODVA discussed mental health care services that both state veterans’ homes currently lack. Several other state veterans’ homes already have agreements in place with local VA Health Care Systems. The homes currently have no option but to deny admissions to many veterans each month because the homes are unable to provide the mental health care required by their physicians. Director Holt committed to engaging on this issue.