Supporting Our Veterans and Expanding Rural Healthcare Access
Our veterans have earned access to quality healthcare and support services close to home. Yet across Grundy County and surrounding communities, too many veterans face unnecessary barriers that force them to travel long distances for basic care and services.
Healthcare Shouldn't Require Hours of Travel
Many veterans in our region must travel to Kansas City, Columbia, or even Lawrence, Kansas, for routine physicals, specialty appointments, and other healthcare services. For many seniors, disabled veterans, and those on fixed incomes, these trips are difficult, costly, and sometimes impossible.
One example is hearing care. Veterans who need hearing aids can only see a provider locally in Chillicothe after becoming certified through an independent company located in Kansas City. Bureaucratic requirements like these create unnecessary obstacles and delay care.
We should be asking a simple question: Why can't more of these services be provided closer to home?
Hidden Veteran Homelessness
Veteran homelessness exists in our communities, but it often doesn't look like the stereotypes we see on television. In Grundy County, many veterans are moving from one temporary living situation to another without stable housing. Because this form of homelessness is less visible, it often goes unnoticed and unaddressed.
We need stronger local partnerships and resources to identify and support veterans before housing instability becomes a crisis.
Transportation Barriers Leave Veterans Behind
Reliable transportation remains one of the biggest challenges for rural veterans.
Our local VFW has been provided a transportation van through the Disabled American Veterans program, but the vehicle is no longer operational and cannot be repaired locally. Repairs must be performed at approved facilities in Kansas City or Columbia, creating additional challenges and costs.
Volunteer drivers are only reimbursed for mileage, making it difficult to recruit and retain enough drivers to meet transportation needs. As a result, many veterans struggle to reach the care they need.
Navigating the VA System Shouldn't Be This Difficult
Veterans often face a complicated healthcare system that does not always account for their unique service history. Some veterans have multiple DD-214 records documenting different periods of service, creating confusion that can complicate care, benefits, and even medical evaluations.
Our veterans deserve a system that works for them, not one that forces them to repeatedly prove their service or navigate unnecessary administrative hurdles.
Mental Health Services Need Greater Support
The local VFW works hard to provide mental health resources, including a therapist who visits twice each week. While this service is valuable, the therapist is unable to prescribe medications or provide higher levels of psychiatric care for conditions such as severe PTSD, psychosis, or other complex mental health concerns.
Veterans deserve access to a complete continuum of mental health services, including psychiatric care, medication management, and crisis intervention when needed.
Supporting the Organizations That Support Veterans
Our local VFW serves as a lifeline for many veterans, yet it faces significant financial challenges.
Membership dues are sent to the state level, with little funding returning directly to the local post. Grants help fund some programs, but those resources are not guaranteed and often cannot be sustained long-term.
Despite these challenges, the VFW continues to serve our community by:
Providing Flag Etiquette education
Promoting POW/MIA awareness
Offering local scholarships
Supporting the Senior Center
Organizing community fundraisers
Conducting military funeral honors for veterans and their families
While the VFW receives a small reimbursement for funeral honors, the payment does not fully cover the expenses associated with providing these important services.
Long-Term Care Options Are Limited
For veterans who require long-term care, options are scarce. The Missouri Veterans Home in Cameron has faced lengthy waiting lists in the past, and there are few VA-qualified long-term care facilities located closer to the veterans who need them.
As our veteran population ages, expanding access to quality long-term care closer to home must become a priority.