Best VA Hospital in USA?

[David1]

I am looking for a VA Hospital to winter at where I can work at and be in the Domiciliary Program. Most VA hospitals have improved greatly over the past 3 years thanks to the press. But I need to be somewhere were there is no drama and little temptation to fall off the wagon- perhaps the VA hospital in 10 Calle Casia, San Juan, 00921, Puerto Rico or perhaps the Virgin Islands or somewhere out west in the country.

 

[David1]

also not sure where i would post Veterans issues...

 

[SpaceCadetOllie]

I would recommend Denver, CO VA. I just left there after being there for a few years.

The pros-

1. LOW CRIME. Honestly the safest city I have ever been in (It doesn't even have a ghetto).
2. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
3. Va Dental there is amazing! Even the dental services for the non-vet homeless are said to be the best in the country. I got 16 composite fillings at the Colorado Coalition for the homeless dental clinic before my rating got increased to 100% to include dental.
4. Numerous VA programs and housing ticket vouchers to get you into non-VA housing programs (I used the homeless veteran's reintegration program Denver while waiting for my C&P exam. The new facility just got built and is HUGE! )

The cons-

1. Weather. Now it isn't always cold and not uncommon to see many days in January with 70-degree sunny weather. Unfortunately when it snows though accidents are common. I got sideswiped 3 times in one year and saw a guy on a moped get ran over. Thankfully my car wasn't stolen. I left it running with the door open as others and I ran to help the man.
2. Heroine is a problem in the area and 85% of the homeless population is addicted to it. Not to say using is bad, but when it affects your ability to make good choices it becomes a problem.
3. Cost of living. Rent is insane there. on average $1,600 for a 600 SQFT / 55 m2 (square meter) 1 bedroom apartment. I would go for the VA then move once your goals are accomplished.

 

[David1]

Denver may be a nice place to visit I am not sure that I would want to live there as I hear/fear it is being tramped out

 

[David1]

Perry Point VA is 1/2 way btn Baltimore and Philly Got treated nice when I visited there great view of the Chesapeake Bay, Legion Post in Harbor de Grace is nice and they have a boat club. Plus transportation by Amtrak/MARC/CSX/NS/local bus if I need to get to a major city to get laid, See Opera or orchestra concerts or just hang out- Perry Point specializes in Trauma and Drug/Alcohol treatment and does halfway and rehab housing. -https://www.maryland.va.gov/locations/Perry_Point_VA_Medical_Center.asp

 

[SpaceCadetOllie]

Denver may be a nice place to visit I am not sure that I would want to live there as I hear/fear it is being tramped out

What do you mean tramped out?

 

[David1]

What do you mean tramped out?

"Tramped Out" is a old term means that towns that were cool to visit and hobo to have been taken over,blown up.overrun with homeless drug additcs and grungy train tramps. Nothing I have against the former but there is a limit to how much the locals aka "The Townies"(also a old term) hospitality will tolerate before they start cracking down. As for myself I prefer small cities off a short line regional railroad/US Route"non interstate" that when I busk/sparechange/askforcasualwork that I don't have to compete with the guy with the backpak and dog on the next block.

 

[David1]

Here is who I am working with as of this moment Saint Cloud MN VA--Dennis is the Homeless Outreach Worker there and is a genuine nice guy. It also seems that he has a latent fantasy of dumping the 9-5 and joining the outside vets that he works with for a simpler life. The Saint Cloud is a small city where everything is a 30 min walk or 30 min 1.25 bus ride. There are 2 colleges and a downtown mall. The PX is the Liquor Store where beer/minis start at 1.10. There is BNSF Freight yard (2 trains a day) Amtrak (2 Trains a day W and E to Saint Paul) Northstar commuter rail to Minnie for 7.50, Jefferson Lines to 6 cities a day. Bar Scene is expensive but local bar is MTs on 8th in Centennial Plaza which also has a great Food Co-op"
VA.gov | Veterans Affairs - https://www.stcloud.va.gov/index.asp

 

[David1]

BTW some transit systems are now offering free or reduced fare for Vets. Twin Citys Metro and Metra and MKE are 3 that I know of.