FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — In a move aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility for Native American Veterans, the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS), in collaboration with the Indian Health Service (IHS), has announced the expansion of face-to-face primary care services at its Kayenta clinic. This development will be commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for March 20 at 11 a.m.
The ribbon-cutting event, to be held at the Kayenta Health Center located at Us Hwy 160 MP 394, will feature speeches from leadership representatives of the Veterans Health Administration, NAVAHCS, Indian Health Service and Navajo Nation. Additionally, following the ceremony, there will be a small VA resource event to assist Veterans with enrollment and benefits. The event is open to the public.
The Kayenta VA Clinic is the second of four rural health clinics under NAVAHCS to undergo such an expansion. The first clinic to with expansion was in Chinle Jan. 22, with further expansions slated for Polacca and Tuba City later this year.
Steve Sample, NAVAHCS’s Medical Center Director, expressed enthusiasm about the positive feedback received from Veterans in the Chinle area regarding the in-person care provided.
“We have already received great feedback from Chinle-area Veterans about the in-person care we are now providing there,” Sample said. “We are very excited to take this next step in ensuring our Native Veterans receive the highest level of care they truly deserve.”
This initiative is part of NAVAHCS’s broader effort to improve access to care and care coordination across its extensive service area spanning over 65,000 square miles. To facilitate this, NAVAHCS has collaborated with the Office of Rural Health to employ healthcare navigators who assist Native American Veterans in coordinating their care across VA, community care, and IHS.
Kayenta veterans healthcare event:
Who: Open to public
What: Expansion of services and resources event
Where: Kayenta Health Center, US Hwy 160 MP 394
When: March 20, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
About the Northern Arizona VA
The Northern Arizona VA, headquartered in Prescott, serves approximately 34,000 Veterans across its main campus and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) located in Cottonwood, Flagstaff, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Anthem. The system also operates additional clinics in Tuba City, Page, Kayenta, Chinle, Holbrook, and Polacca, covering a vast catchment area exceeding 65,000 square miles.
