ST. GEORGE — Veterans in Southern Utah and parts of Nevada received an upgrade with a new clinic three times the size of its former home. The new St. George Veterans Affairs Health Clinic hosted a grand opening and resource fair Friday.

Veterans will see enhanced and new services at the clinic, including walk-in lab services, a sleep clinic, optometry, nutritional and weight management Walk with Ease and MOVE! programs and expanded physical therapy. The Veteran’s Affairs will be able to provide improved health care to thousands of additional Veterans in the area.

“You needed a new clinic. We heard you; here’s your new clinic behind us today, and it is fabulous,” Executive Director of the Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Healthcare System, Dr. Angela Williams, said. “We are very proud of what has been done at the product in the clinic that we have now.”

Williams told the large crowd that the number of patient care rooms would allow them to see thousands more veterans in Southern Utah than in previous years. The Veterans Affairs office will be able to enroll more individuals as well.

She added that on March 5, America expanded veterans health care based on the PACT Act. This means that veterans who were exposed to toxic or hazardous exposures during their military service can now receive enrollment.

Veterans who were assigned to certain duty stations in Southwest Asia or parts of Africa, and those who deployed in support of certain operations after 9/11, are also eligible to have care. Williams said those who served in the Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts, or any combat zone after 9/11 can enroll.

“This new clinic demonstrates our commitment to the Veterans of Southern Utah and ensures they get the care they have earned,” Williams said.

Another speaker, Steven Cook, chief medical officer of St. George Veterans Clinic, said the building has room to grow in the coming years to meet the needs of Southern Utah’s growing veteran population.

“Any of the expanded services would be a welcome benefit for our veterans. A significant list of improvements represents a tremendous victory and is worth celebrating,” Cook said.

Some services included at the clinic are an audiology expansion, increased lab capacity and the new walk-in labs.

“We now have a patient advocate on site. That’s tremendous and she’s great if you haven’t already met her, ” Cook said. “We’ve had an expansion of our on-site physical therapy and a beautiful space for our mental health team to grow. It’s gorgeous and the views from there are just amazing. And we now have a sleep medicine clinician in-house, too.”

Following the ribbon cutting, veterans and community members toured the facility. St. George Clinic and Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System staff were also available to answer veterans’ questions.

Special guests included Jessie Massey, Business Manager of the St. George Veterans Clinic; Dr. Angela Williams, Executive Director of the Veterans Affairs of the Salt Lake City Healthcare System; Darren Travis, Deputy Network Director and Veterans Affairs Rocky Mountain Health Center Chief Operations Officer; Gary Webster represented Sen. Lee’s office; Barry McLaren represented Sen. Romney’s office and Cory Pearson, the deputy director of the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, represented the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs.

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