Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, announced today that work has begun to open a new veterans healthcare clinic at Fort Monmouth by this spring. 

    Smith proposed the new clinic two years ago when he brought Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi to visit the overcrowded Brick Clinic in March 2001. 

    Smith’s tireless advocacy for the new clinic helped move the project forward even though the VA implemented a nationwide freeze on building outpatient clinics in August 2001. 

    “I am pleased that a quality healthcare clinic will soon be up and operating at Fort Monmouth,” Smith said. “The Monmouth Clinic will help meet the increasing healthcare needs of the nearly 120,000 veterans estimated to live in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and will also help improve access at the Brick Clinic.” 

    “Our nation must do everything it can to take care of the men and women who risked their lives to save our country.  Improving access to VA healthcare is key in attaining this goal, and the veterans of Central New Jersey will greatly benefit from this new clinic,” he added.  

    The Fort Monmouth Clinic will have an annual budget of more than $1.7 million and have a staff of 11 full-time employees including two doctors and one nurse practitioner. During the first year of operation, the clinic will accommodate about 10,000 patient visits for veterans seeking primary medical care, mental healthcare, and nutrition and social work services.  

    The clinic will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and occupy about 6,200 square feet of space at the existing Paterson Army Health Clinic at the base.