Distance and transportation to and from medical appointments are
routinely cited by rural veterans as the main obstacles to obtaining health
care. One answer to this is the VA’s
Highly Rural Transportation Program, which provides free transportation to and
from medical appointments (not just those at VA facilities) to any veteran
living in one of Oregon’s participating highly rural counties. Services include door-to-door pick-up and
drop-off in ADA-compliant vehicles, with assistance in loading or unloading at
no cost to the veteran.
This service is made possible by an annual federal VA Highly Rural
Transportation Grant administered through the Oregon Department of Veterans’
Affairs (ODVA) in conjunction with local partners throughout the state. 2017 marked the fourth consecutive year that
the ODVA received the grant, which awards a maximum of $50,000 for each
participating county. The program runs on a year-to-year basis, and
transportation services are subject to grant fund availability each fiscal
year.
Who qualifies?
Oregon has 10 counties that are considered "highly
rural" by the U.S. Census Bureau: Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Lake, Harney, Malheur,
Morrow, Sherman, Wallowa and Wheeler. If you are a veteran living in one of
these counties and would like more information about the Highly Rural
Transportation program, please contact your local county or transportation
office.
For more information: A complete list of the appropriate contacts can be found here.