Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara of Rotterdam has launched an online petition in an effort to prevent the closure of the Schenectady VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, located on Altamont Avenue. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to shut down the clinic by the end of August, a move that has sparked concern among local veterans and officials who rely on the facility for essential healthcare services.
According to the petition, the clinic serves at least 1,500 veterans, many of whom are seniors or individuals with disabilities who would face significant challenges traveling to other VA facilities. The closure would force patients to seek care at more distant locations in Clifton Park, Fonda, Oneonta, or the Albany VA Medical Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs has stated that the closure is part of a consolidation effort and plans to add additional resources to the Clifton Park clinic.
However, Santabarbara and Rotterdam Town Supervisor John Polimeni have voiced concerns that the closure will increase transportation barriers and result in longer wait times for appointments. Santabarbara said, “This decision makes no sense. We should be making it easier for veterans to get care — not harder,” according to The Daily Gazette…