Warren County Executive Terry Bell said the Department of Veterans Affairs will take over operations of the McMinnvillle VA Clinic.
Bell said the news means the facility can ensure local veterans maintain access to healthcare. Federal officials halted a scheduled closure that was set to take effect at the end of May.
“I’m really excited we’ve been able to halt that from actually closing here May the 31st because we want our veterans have fought for all the freedoms and that’s the reason we are able to do what we do every day is because of the service they give our country,” Bell said. “So I think it’s important that we provide the healthcare services they need without having to make them travel long distances and wait long times to get their healthcare needs met.”
Bell said the decision to keep the clinic open followed a push from community members and elected officials to the fed.
Bell said the clinic serves a large population of veterans from Warren County and surrounding areas including White, Van Buren, Cannon and DeKalb counties. Bell said many of these veterans rely on caregivers who would have to take significant time off work if patients were forced to travel to other cities for routine appointments.
“The local all the local veterans we’ve had we had the town hall meeting where they come down and explained to them they were going to make them travel and all those were really disappointed and kind of kind of felt like they were being left out and they are overexcited with the chance that we have halted this and hopefully we’ll be able to make this a permanent solution from this point forward,” Bell said.
Bell said the facility is particularly accessible for local veterans because the site offers ample parking that allows some patients to drive themselves to appointments. Bell said the alternative would have required veterans to travel to facilities in Murfreesboro or Cookeville.
“This is great news because this is actually, I do want people to understand it has nothing to do with the, the county or the state far as being able to, this is we’ve reached plumb up the federal level to get this stopped,” Bell said. “It had to come from Washington to stop the closure on this this facility. So that shows you that your elected officials are working and doing what they can and will continue to do that.”
Bell said the community must remain vigilant because the current approval only secures the clinic’s operations for the next two years. Bell said the county is already working to ensure the facility remains a fixture in McMinnville beyond the 2026 deadline.
Bell encouraged citizens to contact their House Representatives and Senators in Washington D.C.
“They need to be writing letters and emailing those requesting that this this clinic still remain open after 2026,” Bell said.
