Ryncavage unveils expanded services for area veterans
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Feb. 9—PLYMOUTH — Rep. Alec Ryncavage on Friday said it is a priority that our veterans know about and can access the many programs and services that are available to them.
Ryncavage, R-Plymouth, said a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mobile Vet Center that offers free outreach and counseling services to veterans and their families will make the first of several planned monthly visits to Plymouth Borough on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
"By adding this MVC, veterans now have an opportunity to meet with a counselor," Ryncavage said. "We have veterans in our community who need someone to lend an ear in their most vulnerable times and that's exactly what this program will do."
The Mobile Vet Center (MVC), as a component of the Scranton Vet Center, will make mental health and a variety of other services more accessible to veterans and their families. It will be stationed at a municipal parking lot on Route 11 and Main Street in Plymouth from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, weather permitting.
The 45-foot MVC will remain on site until all veterans who visit each day are served.
Ryncavage said the vehicle provides another layer of support for veterans and is intended to help make them aware of resources that are available.
His office in Nanticoke currently offers a monthly veterans' assistance day that aids veterans on issues that range from disability rights and medals to benefits and health care. He said the vehicle adds a mental health component.
Veterans who need individual counseling should call 570-344-2676 and schedule an appointment. Appointments are not needed for the Mobile Veterans Center.
The MVC features two private counseling rooms; satellite communication and Internet connectivity with VA Medical Centers; videoconferencing and telehealth capabilities; three flat-screen televisions for training and educational videos; as well as a wheelchair lift and handicap-accessibility.
The MVC is among the many services Ryncavage said he has made available for veterans and their families. His office in Nanticoke will continue hosting a monthly outreach program that provides opportunities for American Legion representatives to meet with veterans, their spouses and dependents and assist with issues that include compensation, pensions, death benefits, education and health care.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sponsors the MVC program to reach veterans in under-served areas. More than 80 MVCs provide services across the country, including several in Pennsylvania.
The MVC visit schedule is subject to change.
For more information, call Ryncavage's Nanticoke office at 570-902-4082.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
