August 23, 2018

VA Adult Day Health Care

As you may or may not have heard, the lease for the current Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) space on Sheridan Drive in the Northtown Business Center is ending and the building will be demolished.

With this transition, VA Western New York Healthcare System (VAWNYHS) has decided to give local eligible Veterans the choice of where they get their ADHC services.

Veterans who now use VA ADHC at the Northtown Business Center will have the opportunity to receive these services through community providers closer to home, and VA will pick up the expense.

Change can be difficult and the decision was not an easy one.

Here are some of the answers to questions surrounding the decision.

Since the current location was not a viable option, it was necessary to review options.

A preliminary estimate for comparable space in the greater Buffalo market, which is inclusive of the town of Amherst is three times the current annual lease cost.

Approximately 108 Veterans are impacted. These Veterans typically attend two times per week. On average, 37 Veterans are in attendance.

Historically of the Veterans who receive ADHC, approximately 30% already receive care through established contracts.

100% of ADHC Veterans have been offered care in the community at VA expense.

There are many quality ADHC programs in the community willing and eager to care for Veterans.

VA has numerous ADHC contracts in place to serve all the current and future Veterans who need this level of care. Staff are working closely with Veterans to provide the locations that offer them the appropriate level of care, close to their homes. They are encouraged to selecttheir preferred site as soon as possible.

VA will be vacated from the Sheridan Drive location by October 1, 2018.

No staff will lose their jobs. They will be integrated in to departments at the Buffalo site.

Transitioning to 100% contracted community care allows the VA to offer ADHC services to more Veterans at convenient locations closer to their homes.This will demonstrate a commitment to usefederal tax dollars in the most efficient way by buying the service directly from the community. VA will re-direct salaries, lease costs and associated overhead to serve twice as many Veterans in the community.

We will continue to serve Veterans health care needs in the best way possible.