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The second “From Our Hearts to Yours” Veterans’ Town Hall and Resource event was held on Thursday at the Veteran Foreign Wars Post 3016.

The Community Engagement and Partnership program and a representative from the Veterans Benefits Administration worked diligently and coordinated this event along with the VFW.  They discussed health benefits for military veterans.

VFW Post 3016 commander Dennis Doherty encouraged local veterans to sign up for the program.

“We want all veterans to join the VFW Post 3016, we need all the help we can get to keep events like going,” Doherty said. 

VFW quartermaster Aaron Roper and District 6 Commander Earl Lewis Sr. agreed with Roper, saying its important to seek health benefits.

Byron Evans, a representative for U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Selma, said that the Congresswoman fully supports the veterans. 

LaWanda VanHorn-Rossell of Tuscaloosa VA reminded everyone that the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center has a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Selma at 206 Vaughan Memorial Drive, providing  Primary Care, Home-Based Primary Care, and Mental Health Intensive Case Management.

“I want to stress our benefits and health care,” VanHorn-Rossell said. “Getting everyone together to connect to our resources.”

Robert Shostak of the Veteran Benefits Administration delivered a PACT Act overview and Vocational  Readiness and Employment Overview. The PACT Act is a law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances. The law helps provide generations of Veterans and survivors with care and benefits. 

The VR&E program assists veterans with service-connected disabilities and employment handicaps to prepare for obtaining and getting a job.

Sharon Prestridge gave a COMPACT Act Overview. The Compact Act covers both inpatient and outpatient mental health services. The Compact Act covers suicide crisis care, transportation, treatment and aftercare for qualifying veterans. The covered inpatient stay can be up to 30 days at either VA and non-VA facilities.