Stories

On Thursday, March 14, 2024, the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center Domiciliary, better known as the DOM, held an open house to show firsthand how it’s a place for hope, healing and second chances.

As VA stands firm in its commitment to house every homeless Veteran, there’s a critical question that remains: once a Veteran is housed, how do we make sure they successfully integrate into their community?

When it comes to the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture, all that’s old is new again. Since his hiring three years ago, Dr. Jeremiah Krieger, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS), has been embracing the time-honored practice and using it to treat Veterans’ pain, PTSD, and more.

Sports and leisure recreation therapies help prevent suicide by reducing stress, connecting Veterans with other Veterans and with resources at VA and in the community. Recreation therapy also provides a physically and emotionally safe environment for them to work on their mind and body and get help.

Obesity is a widespread condition, with an estimated 35 percent of Americans and 78 percent of Veterans being overweight or obese as of 2014. It is a risk factor for Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke and some types of cancer.

In greater Los Angeles, VA permanently housed 1,790 homeless Veterans in 2023 —the most of any VA in America. This was a 38% increase over last year’s total of 1,301, and 19% above VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s (VAGLAHS) 2023 calendar year goal of putting 1,500 heroes into homes.

VA’s Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (HPACT) has upgraded and expanded in downtown LA’s Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) at 351 E. Temple Street from a fourth-floor shared space to an exclusive, significantly larger area on the first floor.

Army Veteran Anthony Robinson has embarked on a path of recovery, emerging from a 45-year struggle with addiction to cocaine and methamphetamines. Today, he stands with 15 months of sobriety under his belt, leaving behind the shadows of his past for a brighter future.

The New Directions Veterans Choir is orchestrating more than just harmonies. The members are teaching active-duty military service members and Veterans worldwide that it’s OK to not feel OK.

If the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles has left you longing for some time in nature, you’re in luck! Veterans are eligible for a free lifetime pass that provides access to over 2,000 federal recreation areas, including many national parks within driving distance of the L.A. area.