Nonprofit VSO Cohen Veterans Network is opening two free mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans, servicemembers, and military clinics in 2022. (Photo: Cohen Veterans Network)
On Jan. 31, Cohen Veterans Network announced that it will be opening two mental health clinics catering to veterans, active duty servicemembers, and military families in California later this year.
The two locations, one in Oceanside and another in Los Angeles, will join an existing clinic in San Diego that was established in 2019. The clinics are part of founder Steven A Cohen’s efforts to “reduce veterans suicide and increase care for active duty servicemembers and military families throughout the country.”
Cohen Veterans Network, or CVN, anticipates that the Oceanside location will be able to serve “more than 33,000 post-9/11 veterans, nearly 40,000 active duty servicemembers, and more than 31,000 military family members” while the Los Angeles location expects to be able to treat “greater than 52,000 post-9/11 veterans, 6,000 active duty servicemembers, and 10,000 military family members will be eligible for care.”
Additionally, CVN says its telehealth services will be extended to “more than 655,000 potential clients.” As such, veterans and other eligible patients throughout California may be able receive treatment.
The organization expects the Oceanside and Los Angeles Clinics to begin serving telehealth patients as early as this March and “by the summer” respectively. No dates have been provided for when either location will begin seeing patients in person; however, the center says it is actively hiring for both locations.
While CVN prioritizes care for post-9/11 veterans and servicemembers, the group’s website notes that veterans who served prior to Sept. 11, 2001 can receive treatment “based on clinician availability.”
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.
