JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Veterans living Northwest Jacksonville have limited access to health care facilities, according to a local health organization, but a new facility in the neighborhood is helping to change that.
On Wednesday, Veterans Healthcare officially opened a new facility on North Myrtle Avenue at West 20th Street.
“With this location, we can service the people in this area who otherwise wouldn’t have access to health care," said Ivorique Turner, DO, CEO and medical director of Veterans Healthcare. "A lot of people, as it relates to mobility and transportation, they’re not able to travel even down to downtown, so just being right here in the bedrock is really important.”
The Northwest Jacksonville facility is Veterans Healthcare’s second location in the Jacksonville area and the third in the state.
“It’s very convenient,” said veteran George Clawson.
The facility offers primary and walk-in care, veteran disability exams, medication review and mental health services.
“Having mental health services at this facility allows us to be able to serve the veterans in that way," said Turner, who is a Navy veteran. "At another location in Ponte Vedra Beach, our second location rather, we offer medical marijuana recommendations for those with PTSD and chronic pain, so again, trying to combat this mental health crisis as it relates to suicide but also dealing with the chronic pain and the epidemic of opioid abuse.”
Veteran Healthcare is veteran-focused but serves anyone in the community, including veterans’ families and non-veterans.