Vets’ outpatient clinic opens in Newton

By George Leroy Hunter
Newton — A dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Healthcare System’s Sussex Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in downtown Newton on Monday, March 6.
The clinic is housed in the Norman Silbert Medical Arts Building at 222 High Street, suite 103. The 3,800 sq. ft. facility opened in January and is already bringing needed services to veterans who reside in Sussex and Warren counties.
“Making sure veterans have timely access to medical care is one of the most important things we must do,” said U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ11), a veteran of the Vietnam conflict, who was present at the ceremony and is recognized as one of the driving forces behind getting the clinic in Sussex County.
Joining Frelinghuysen at the ribbon-cutting were fellow U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ5) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ7), U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), local, state and VA officials and a number of veterans.
“The new clinic is really good because instead of having to drive an hour and a half to a different clinic in Morris County I can come here in 40 minutes,” said U.S. Navy veteran Chris Wyman, a Vernon resident. “And there are also buses available for disabled veterans to help them get here.”
Booker called it a “great day,” and said the U.S. was a “great nation” that should be judged by how it treats its military veterans. He also credited Frelinghuysen with leading the fight to secure the clinic.
“We need more clinics like this in the state so people won’t have to drive so far to get the help they need," said Gottheimer, who defeated long-time GOP Congressman Scott Garrett for the 5th District seat in November. "This was about getting things done for veterans, to make sure they had the health care they needed.”
Garrett has also been called instrumental in bringing the clinic to Sussex County. Frelinghuysen also credited U.S. VA Secretary David Schulkin for helping to make it happen.
The VA in New Jersey operates two medical centers, in East Orange and Lyons, and outpatient clinics in Brick, Cape May, Elizabeth, Hackensack, Hamilton, Jersey City, Marlton, Morristown, Northfield, Paterson, Piscataway, Sewell, Tinton Falls, Vineland and, now, Newton.
Vincent Immiti, director of the VA New Jersey Healthcare System which oversees the CBOC, said the types of services available at the new site include “primary care, tele-mental health, and expanded tele-health services for nutrition, weight management, pharmacy medication management, and smoking cessation.”
The Sussex CBOC is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Veterans may call 973-756-1504 for further information or to receive services.