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VA representative briefed VAC on extended clinic hours, new El Paso medical center and paused childcare plan
Summary
At a Veterans Advisory Commission meeting, a VA health system representative outlined a pilot extended-hours clinic and construction progress on a new VA health center, and said a planned childcare reimbursement program has been paused by the VA secretary's office as of March 2025.
A VA health system representative told the Veterans Advisory Commission (VAC) that the VA is piloting extended clinic hours and remains on schedule and budget for a new El Paso health center, but that a plan to reimburse childcare for veterans is paused by the VA secretary's office.
The VA representative said a “veteran tele town hall” is scheduled for Sept. 4 from 5 to 6 p.m. for veterans who use the El Paso VA health system and encouraged veterans to take the incoming phone call. The representative described an “extended hours clinic” at the main Piedras Street facility, saying it “starts at 04:30 and it's gonna go up to about 07:30PM, Monday through Friday” on a walk-in, first-come basis. The representative described the extended-hours service as a pilot and said expansion to additional hours, more providers or weekend service would depend on veteran demand.
Why it matters: The extended-hours clinic is intended to increase access for working veterans who have difficulty getting care during normal business hours. The pause on childcare reimbursement — a barrier identified in past VA reports for women veterans — directly affects access to care for some veterans and their families.
The representative said the pilot clinic does not currently provide on-site x-ray, laboratory or pharmacy services, and that prescriptions issued during extended hours use community-care-network pharmacies when needed. On the new VA health center, the representative reported construction progress: “we're actually looking to top off our steel there in the next month to 2 months” and said interior work will follow.
Commissioner Brian Kanoff (District 1) asked whether any naming discussions had occurred for the new facility. The VA representative described the process as starting “at the grassroots level” where the community nominates a name, which is then carried to a congressional office to sponsor legislation to name a VA facility. The representative said he had discussed the naming process with the congresswoman's office.
On childcare, the VA representative said the proposed reimbursement model for childcare that El Paso had planned is “halted as of March 2025,” attributing the pause to the new administration and a memo from the VA secretary's office. He said the pause is under review and that more information could come with the VA secretary's office guidance in the upcoming fiscal cycle.
Commissioners and attendees pressed for more detail on women-veteran peer groups and local childcare options. Melissa Hartcroak, speaking during the meeting, said a women veteran peer group “started June 26” and meets “every Thursday at 10AM at the South Central Seabach … located at 350 Revere Street,” and said the group generally requires a referral from a primary care manager. Participants discussed an Armed Forces YMCA children’s waiting room; one attendee said that the YMCA-run space is funded through donations and that its availability for veterans depends on its funding.
The VA representative also invited veterans to a Whole Health Summit in Las Cruces the next day and repeated the Sept. 4 tele-town-hall date.
Ending: The VAC did not take any formal action on VA programs during the meeting; commissioners asked VA staff to return with additional details on childcare status, women-veteran supports and community partnerships if more information becomes available.
