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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2016
Governor Mary Fallin Announces Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program
The initiative will identify priority health
concerns, access to care issues
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin
today announced the official kickoff of the Oklahoma Veterans Pilot Program, a
private/public initiative to develop a comprehensive healthcare access and
delivery system for the state’s veterans.
The program will also design one
statewide transitional system of care and then test that system in early 2017.
The system will cover healthcare services in mental health, home health,
nursing care, rehabilitative services, and coordinated access to physician
services, laboratory services, pharmacy services and tele-health capability.
“We have assembled a bipartisan team of
lawmakers, healthcare professionals, education professionals and business
leaders,” said Fallin. “It is our hope this effort will produce a
cost-effective model that can be emulated on a national basis.”
Fallin said the intent of the program is
not to point blame, but to identify best practices and areas the state can
improve services.
“Many Oklahoma veterans are unable to
access the health services that they need and deserve,” she said. “Delivery of
health services for a diverse veterans population is a complicated matter.
There are many reasons for this, including service restrictions that exist
within the current system, lack of coverage opportunities, roadblocks and red
tape that slows the process, and service delivery models that do not address
specific veteran needs.”
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Myles Deering,
a former adjutant general of the Oklahoma National Guard who also serves as
executive director of the Veterans Affairs Department, said the Oklahoma
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Council will look into other issues involving
homelessness, education and training, employment and volunteerism.
“To our knowledge, this comprehensive effort
has never been attempted before,” Deering said.
Retired Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon, who
serves as Fallin’s liaison for veterans affairs, is honorary chairperson of the
steering committee, and former Gov. George Nigh is special adviser.
Pete
Reed, who served as executive director of the Department of Veterans Affairs during
Nigh’s administration, is coordinator of the veterans pilot project.
“The
primary areas of concern for this effort will include home health, mental
health, nursing home and hospice care for veterans,” Reed said. “The
overarching focus of the program, however, is to look at the entire veterans
healthcare system and comprehensively examine such areas as barriers to care,
access to physicians, underserved populations and needed policy changes.”
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Web: www.governor.ok.gov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GovernorMaryFallin
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