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Pasco Veterans Center To Open By Year's End

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: July 11, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - A new veterans center will open in Pasco County by the end of next year.

The location of the new center - one of six new centers planned for Florida - wasn't announced, but it will be in the 5th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite said.

That would put the clinic in west-central or eastern Pasco.

"It's something I believe we needed," Brown-Waite said.

Veterans centers offer counseling and outreach services at no cost for veterans who served in any combat zone, with a focus on readjusting to life after returning home. Counseling services are available for veterans' family members.

The centers differ from community-based health clinics, such as the one at the PineBrook Medical Center in Brooksville.

Brown-Waite, whose district includes the second-highest number of veterans in the country, said she pushed for the new centers because the need to help veterans find a job or cope with post-traumatic stress disorder will rise as veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan.

There are 15 veterans centers in the state. Currently, Pasco and Hernando veterans must drive to Tampa or St. Petersburg for the services.

Pinellas County will get a second center. New centers also are planned for Broward, Palm Beach, Polk and Volusia counties.

It's good news, said Hernando County Veterans Services Manager Matt Peters.

"More clinics and medical services available for our veterans in Pasco and Hernando counties is a tremendous thing," Peters said.

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