The Waco VA Regional Office partnered with North Texas VA in Garland, Texas, for a PACT Act Summer VetFest. The event offered toxic exposure screenings (TES), face-to-face appointments with VBA compensation specialists, battlefield acupuncture, CPR training and whole health education.
The 8-hour event, attended by 750 North Texas Veterans, family members and caregivers, screened 280 Veterans for toxic exposures and connected 400 others with PACT Act-related benefits through new claims or intent to file. The event also enrolled 22 Veterans in VA health care who had never stepped foot in any VA facility and thought they were not eligible for such care.
Pictured above, Angela Austin, Waco Veteran Service Center coach, discusses the process for submitting a PACT Act-related intent-to-file with a North Texas Veteran.
“There are thousands of North Texas Veterans and survivors who are now eligible for new health care and benefits,” said Michael Crouse, executive director, WACO VA regional office. “Joint VBA and VHA events like Summer VetFest where my team of compensation and benefits specialists can partner with VA medical center staff to screen and educate on available health care services is how we’re successfully reaching this critical group of Veterans.”
Getting Vets connected with PACT Act health care and benefits is our priority
North Texas VA has screened over 95,000 Veterans for toxic exposures and educated 315,000 Veterans in 40 Texas and Oklahoma counties on PACT Act benefits through in-person outreach events, virtual townhalls, community TES events and stakeholder-led event support.
In December 2022, North Texas VA brought over 1,000 Veterans, family members and caregivers to its Dallas campus for its inaugural PACT Act and TES community event.
“Our Veterans have earned their health care and benefits through service and sacrifice, so every time we can reach them though PACT Act and TES events, we are pulling out all of the stops and ensuring our engagement is massive and beneficial,” said Jason Cave, North Texas VA director. “We owe our Veterans much and getting them connected with PACT Act-related health care and benefits is our priority.”
VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim or submit their intent to file a claim for PACT Act-related benefits now.
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