HomeMy WebLinkAbout012126 - U_S_ Veterans Affairs Secretary tours Boise construction site of delayed veterans homeALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
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NewsFlash
U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary tours Boise construction site of delayed veterans home <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kivitv.com%2Fnews%2Flocal-news%2Fin-your-neighborhood%2Fu-s
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By: Allie Triepke
Jan 20, 2026
BOISE, Idaho — Construction is underway on a new Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise, a project state and federal leaders say will expand care and improve the quality of life for veterans
living at the facility.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined Governor Brad Little, U.S. Senator Jim Risch, and state veterans officials on Tuesday to tour the construction site
and highlight progress on the long-delayed expansion.
At the current Idaho State Veterans Home, 80 veterans continue to live while construction moves forward.
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Photo by: Idaho News 6
The expansion faced delays in 2023 due to the federal Build America, Buy America Act, which requires certain federally funded projects to use American-made materials. State leaders said
the project stalled because some building components were not available domestically.
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FORWARD MARCH: The Idaho State Veterans Home in Boise operates on land transferred from the VA. The Idaho State Soldiers' Home opened in 1895. Additional Idaho State Veterans Homes are
located in Lewiston, Pocatello, and Post Falls <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fveterans.idaho.gov%2Fveterans-homes%2F/1/0100019be2e5ef37-e60718e3-61af-45a3-8ffb-176b4a6e2edb-000000/
hGRCgrPf0MnJm_eagYvREw8DuZy40eBG0Sj0I1tNF0k=441> .
The new veterans home will span approximately 156,000 square feet—about double the size of the current facility—and include 122 private resident rooms across four stories.
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The Idaho Division of Veterans Services was established in 2000 <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fveterans.idaho.gov%2F/2/0100019be2e5ef37-e60718e3-61af-45a3-8ffb-176b4a6e2edb-000000/f
nP3OKHmvKlAdgc7mWIQGRjJ32amblOQMrD3k52q6aI=441> to provide advocacy, assistance with benefits, and high-quality long-term care for Idaho veterans and their families. The division was
created to ensure that veterans receive superior care and support, reflecting the commitment to serving veterans in Idaho.
State and federal officials toured the construction site on Tuesday as preparations began to remove a portion of the existing building in the coming weeks.
Construction crews estimate veterans could begin moving into the new facility as early as mid-2028. Once the transition is complete, the old veterans home will be demolished to make
way for parking.
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Idaho Division of Veterans Services <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1460165852175215/1/0100019be2e5ef37-e60718e3-61af-45a3-8ffb-176b4a6e2edb-000000/R2kn5qOR
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VA Secretary Doug Collins had a great visit to Idaho today <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1460165852175215/2/0100019be2e5ef37-e60718e3-61af-45a3-8ffb-176b4
a6e2edb-000000/ssC8IyMYHJHPuzi52tQKVzNfiCFjY29XuNIRxLO2p_Y=441> , meeting with Governor Brad Little, Senator Jim Risch, IDVS Chief Administrator Mark Tschampl to talk about the needs
of Idaho’s veterans and how we continue to strengthen the relationship between Idaho and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The discussion focused on current and future State Veterans Home projects across Idaho, ensuring our aging and disabled veterans have access to high-quality care close to home, as well
as how VA benefits and services are improving for Idaho’s veterans and their families.
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About VISN 20 and NW MIRECC
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VA's NW MIRECC serves to improve the mental health and well-being of Veterans through research and dissemination of information to providers both within VA and the general public. VHA
continually evolves and cultivates ongoing cutting-edge medical research and innovation <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.mirecc.va.gov%2Fvisn20%2FAbout_NWMIRECC%2Fnwmirecc-histor
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Service Network (VISN) 20 serves Alaska, Washington, Oregon, most of Idaho, and one county each in Montana and California. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles,
VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. Spanning 23% of US land mass, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA. NW MIRECC brings
together complementary research, education, and clinical programs from VA Puget Sound (VAPSHCS) and the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS). The collaborative approach to mental
health research, education and treatment has had a profound impact on the lives of Veterans.
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VAPSHCS and VAPORHCS were commissioned by Congress and the VA as one of the first three MIRECCs in the United States <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outloo
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b3bf%257C0%257C0%257C638435285899560228%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata=VdwUqaI%252B7itapmlk9pptEN7U1n1fg
6%252FyJXHVAEHVr%252F4%253D%26reserved=0/1/01000194b0cb14ca-ac446921-8aa6-4ef1-b529-d0324b9dc2cb-000000/XKWGNaSEeA4Qr0A-fszk2d30V6QGn1vhm65dwQ8wbm0=390> . The mission of NW MIRECC is
to improve the quality of life and function of Veterans by developing, evaluating, and promoting the implementation of effective treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
and its complex comorbidities. PTSD comorbidities include the behavioral consequences of repetitive blast mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD), chronic pain
(in particular, post-concussive headaches), cognitive impairment, and increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders (chronic traumatic encephalopathy [CTE] and Alzheimer’s disease
[AD]). VA MIRECC's provide for the improvement of the provision of health-care services and related counseling services to eligible veterans suffering from mental illness (especially
mental illness related to service-related conditions) through—
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* the conduct of research (including research on improving mental health service facilities of the Department and on improving the delivery of mental health services by the Department);
* the education and training of health care personnel of the Department; and
* the development of improved models and systems for the furnishing of mental health services by the Department.
As part of the VISN 20 NW MIRECC mission to enhance access to mental health expertise, the NW MIRECC collaborates and consults with other MIRECCs and Centers of Excellence, as well as
with other VA, Department of Defense (DoD), Federal, State departments of Veterans Affairs, community agencies, and experts. The close geographic proximity (40 miles) of DoD Joint Base
Lewis-McChord/Madigan Army Medical Center to VAPSHCS has provided an exciting opportunity to develop innovative and productive research, education, and clinical care collaborations
with DoD personnel that address PTSD and its associated conditions in their early stages in active-duty Servicemembers.
VA ranks as one of the nation's leaders in health research. Every year, thousands of research studies are conducted at VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, and nursing homes. For
example, the VA has:
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* Developed artificial limbs that allow amputees to have more independence and better quality of life
* Invented the cardiac pacemaker
* Performed the first successful liver transplantation
* Developed the nicotine patch to help people stop smoking
* Played a major role in the development of the CT/CAT scan to view the inside of the body
* Tested new drugs and treatments for diseases such as AIDS, Diabetes, Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis
NW MIRECC research studies significantly contribute to advancements in our understanding of medical problems that lead to health improvements for Veterans and civilians alike. Research
studies at NW MIRECC are currently enrolling Military Veterans, First Responders, Health Care workers, and Civilians in Seattle, Washington <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.saf
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VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS)
Mail Stop: P3MIRECC
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Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Vet Center Call Center 1-877-927-8387
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or any other issue they are facing in transitioning after military service or trauma and get connected to their nearest Vet Center. Signed into law in 2020, the National Suicide Hotline
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Use of these Materials and Finding VA Health Care: Please note that the health care information provided in these materials is for educational purposes only. It does not replace the
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