Chillicothe VA surpasses 10K screenings for PACT Act benefits

In August 2022, the PACT Act was implemented as one of the largest expansions for benefits and healthcare in VA history. The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act impacts generations of veterans and their survivors across every service as far back as the Vietnam era. In fact, screening veterans for PACT Act benefits has become one of the top priorities for the VA since its rollout.

According to Adam Jackson, Chillicothe VA’s Chief of Pharmacy Service, the impact to our veteran community is massive.

“For the first time, the VA has defined what is a toxic exposure,” Jackson said. “This has clearly helped staff and veterans understand exposures, and for many veterans, the opportunity to have the screening completed and determine if they need to file additional claims or have medical concerns addressed.”

The Chillicothe VA Medical Center recently hit the 10,000 veterans screened milestone, which puts the facility at 35.7 percent of its total veterans.  The Medical Center is screening hundreds of veterans per week on its way to ensuring every veteran receives a screening.

The success of the facility has not been without obstacles, however.  

“The biggest obstacle we face is all veterans need to be screened regardless of if they are enrolled in care or not.  Finding those veterans that live in our area, but are not enrolled, is a challenge,” Jackson said.

According to reports, there are an estimated 8,000 veterans in southeastern Ohio, who are currently not enrolled, that may be eligible for benefits specifically through the PACT Act.

Ken Mortimer, Medical Center Director for the Chillicothe VA, said in a recent interview that he is focusing on growth for the facility, especially when it comes to enrolling more veterans.

“We are focusing on growth,” Mortimer said. “We want to build new programs and services, and expanding the ones we have… We want to ensure our veterans have access, and every veteran is entitled to a toxic exposure screening.”

Mortimer understands the impact of this legislation, stating, “Toxic exposure screening helps VA staff connect veterans with resources to help with disability claims, registry programs to help track future issues, and navigators to address other veteran questions. These screenings also help improve the care our providers deliver to veterans by sharing information about exposures that may have occurred during the veteran’s military service.”

As a leader, Jackson takes personal pride in the impact of his team.  

“Personally, it is an honor to be a part of this historic change and know that I have helped veterans get screened and educated on toxic exposures and the vets’ benefits,” he said.

Currently, that 10,000 number is an excellent benchmark that shows the facility is placing an immense priority on screening our veterans, which has the Chillicothe VA Medical Center ahead of schedule. However, that goal of 100 percent of veterans screened is at the top of the list of priorities.