STATEN ISLAND, NY — U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins visited the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, where he met with Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis and a group of Staten Island veterans.
Collins and Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, have previously collaborated on a tele-town hall earlier this year to address VA services and benefits.
The visit began with a private meeting between the two, where they discussed a range of topics, including bringing more specialists to the Staten Island clinic, and the department’s lengthy hiring process for nurses and social workers.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
“We really put an emphasis on that process. Right now, it could take over 30 days,” the congressmember shared after the meeting. “We are working on streamlining it.”
According to Malliotakis, Collins also discussed that the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits is down by 57% and more than 1.4 million appointments outside of normal operating hours have been offered.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
The new secretary also stated that in the past few months, the administration has eliminated the backlog of veteran families waiting for healthcare and has helped open 20 new VA clinics across the country.
After the meeting, Collins met with distinguished members of the clinic staff, thanking them for their services to veterans and the community. This included social workers, physicians, pharmacists and nurse practitioners.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5. After their meeting, Collins met with distinguished members of the clinic staff.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
Before leaving the clinic, Collins and Malliotakis sat down with local veterans who participate in the congressmember’s roundtable, which brings together service members in her district.
There, Collins discussed a variety of topics, such as streamlining veteran care, reducing wait times and revamping the disability claims system.
“We’ve been able to root out a lot of stuff that helps our doctors internally at direct care, but also community care, for the times you need to go to a community doctor. We’ve made that a lot easier,” Collins said. “The best medical interest is a standard that you can get as a veteran.”
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
According to the secretary, female veterans will also now benefit from streamlined access to women’s health services. A new policy allows women to schedule appointments directly with OB-GYN care providers without requiring a primary care referral first.
He also mentioned that he has pushed forward a continuous dialogue with Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense. Collin’s goal is to work closely with the Department of Defense to improve care coordination and recruitment.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins met with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and local veterans at the Staten Island VA Clinic in Bloomfield on Friday, Dec. 5. After their meeting, Collins met with distinguished members of the clinic staff.Advance/SILive | Nicolette Cavallaro
“Pete and I have actually combined together to do something never been known before,” Collins stated. “Did you realize [the] Department of Defense, now the Department of War and Veterans Affairs, had never really communicated, except in just various levels, on committees? Pete and I both see that it’s a recruitment issue to a retirement issue.”
At the end of his discussion, the secretary put forward a call to action for the gathered veterans.
“This is where I need you. We have a big problem with death by suicide in this country and [among our] veterans [this is] way too high. …There was always a saying, ‘no man left behind.’ That didn’t stop,” he shared. “I’ve got plenty for everybody. Tell them all to come; 60% of our deaths by suicide are with people who have not had any contact with the VA.”