Wichita regional VA office officially moves into larger space. Here’s where
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officially opened its new Wichita regional benefits office at 9111 E. Douglas Avenue on Thursday with the aim of giving staff more space to process an increasing number of Kansas veterans seeking healthcare and other benefits.
The Wichita VA office announced in September it would move from its old space in the basement of the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center on Kellogg. Veterans have been able to schedule appointments and make claims at the new office since October.
McDonough said 30% more Kansas veterans applied for healthcare last year compared with the year before. He said the new space will improve morale among VA employees processing new claims.
“As we get more and more veterans in relationship with us, we need more room to process those plans,” McDonough said. “This facility allows us to do that.”
McDonough attributed much of the increase in VA claims to the 2022 Honoring our PACT Act, which improved healthcare access for veterans exposed to toxic substances during military service.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who advocated for the PACT Act in Congress, said the new facility could increase the efficiency of the VA department.
“No one wants to wait months or years for an outcome. They want to know the answer to the question, ‘Do I qualify for benefits?’”Moran said. “And so this center is designed to make certain that that process works better, works more quickly, helps us retain and recruit employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs who do that work.”
