Director's Message March 7, 2025

Locally, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) social workers are on the front lines working with Veterans and helping them at their most vulnerable times.

Many people contribute to the process of getting Veterans housed, but the driving force connecting Veterans with assistance programs is often a social worker. Social Workers are patient and kind, and they work hard to listen to each Veteran and determine the best way to help them. They assist in explaining application processes, helping Veterans navigate different programs, and connecting them to the help that they need.

I am so proud of the work that our social workers do. They never hesitate to go out into the community and meet Veterans where they are. They work with people suffering from mental illness, homelessness, substance abuse, and other difficulties, and they help them get the care they need without judgment or prejudice. Social workers are on the front lines every day fighting for the men and women who fought for our freedom; helping them through the adjustment to civilian life and instilling the confidence to help them flourish in the face of adversity. 

We celebrate Social Workers in March, but we appreciate them every day. Please take a moment this month to thank a social worker for all that they do. Happy Social Work Month!

New Urgent Care Services

VAPIHCS is excited to announce the opening of an urgent care clinic inside of our Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic. VAPIHCS is working diligently to expand services for Veterans across the Pacific Islands, and this new service will help deliver urgent care in addition to primary care, specialty care, mental health care, vison, dental, audiology, women’s health, and other services. The new clinic will open on March 17, 2025.

Urgent care is a great option for Veterans who need to be seen for an urgent issue, like a cut or infection that needs treatment, a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), urgent medication refills, or other concerns that cannot wait, but are not emergencies. Veterans are still urged to see a primary care provider whenever possible for continuity of care. 

VAPIHCS also has a new Urgent Care telehealth option for Veterans in the Pacific Islands. The new Health Connect Clinical Contact Center will provide easy, on-demand services to Veterans. By calling 833-983-0487, Veterans can reach a Clinical Contact Center employee who can address their urgent needs quickly and efficiently. 

The Clinical Contact Center can help you with:

• Pharmacy Services
•  Scheduling Appointments
•  Tele-Emergency Care
•  Clinical Nurse Triage

Veterans may still call 988, then press 1 to contact the Veterans Crisis Line. If you are a Veteran who would like to enroll with us for VA health care, please call 1-800-214-1306.  

Upcoming Events

VAPIHCS will hold an Ohana Open Market event from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on March 14, 2025, at the Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic at 91-1051 Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue in Kapolei, HI 96707. This event is an opportunity for Veterans and active-duty service members to get cost-free groceries. If you have questions, contact Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) Chief Schoen Safotu at Schoen.Safotu@va.gov.

VAPIHCS will hold a PACT Act Registration and Community Call Veteran event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 15 -16, 2025, at Micronesia Mall space 121 & 122 and Center Court, 1088 West Marine Corps Drive, Dededo, GU, 96929. The event will have member service representatives ready to enroll Veterans who have never enrolled or those who have become newly eligible under the PACT Act. who are seeking to enroll in VA health care for the first time are encouraged to bring a copy of their DD214. Veterans who are already enrolled may also come for health services such as diabetic foot checks, vaccines, and blood pressure checks. All Veterans can come with health benefits questions. If you have questions, contact Outreach Coordinator Maurice Martin: Maurice.Martin@va.gov

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel like our internal sense of wellbeing is at the mercy of external forces. But I have found that a thermostat can exemplify the power of being intentional about maintaining one’s sense of wellness, even amidst uncertainties. A thermostat functions much differently than a thermometer. A thermometer reacts to the temperature around it, and its responses completely mirrors its surroundings. It rises with the heat and falls with the cold.

But a thermostat is entirely different; rather than simply reflect the temperature, a thermostat sets the temperature. In the same way, we must be intentional about setting our inner peace and maintaining it, no matter what comes our way. I have found that a key way to maintaining one’s sense of internal wellbeing is to commit to resolutions that preserve our sense of wellness and helps maintain our core focus. Here are three helpful ones:

I Will Not Fear

A thermostat doesn’t freeze up in fear when a cold front comes in. Instead, it kicks into action, adjusting to keep the home at the right temperature. In the same way, deciding not to fear must be a deliberate choice, since that state of mind will not come naturally. While legitimate concerns amidst uncertainty is understandable, becoming consumed in excessive fear can be counterproductive.

I Will Focus on What I Can Control

A thermostat doesn’t control the weather. Likewise, we may not be able to control what happens around us, but we do have greater control over what happens within us. We can control our attitude, our work ethic, and our response to challenges.

I Will Plan Ahead, but Live in the Present

Some modern thermostats can predict temperature patterns, use data from weather forecasts, and can adjust proactively. Likewise, we should always think ahead, but we need not “worry ahead”. While we prepare for tomorrow, we must choose to live life, one day at a time. Let’s be fully present—doing our best work, caring for ourselves, Veterans, and colleagues.

One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE 
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN

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