98-18322. Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans, Notice of Meeting

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37447-37448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18322]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans, Notice of 
Meeting

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under Public 
Law 92-463 that a meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Readjustment 
of Veterans will be held July 23 through 25, 1998. This meeting will be 
a field meeting conducted primarily at VA facilities in Spokane, 
Washington, and Missoula and Fort Harrison, Montana. The Committee will 
also visit with Native American veterans on the Blackfeet and Flathead 
reservations in Montana to review the availability of services for 
rural and minority veterans. The purpose of the meeting is to provide 
the Committee a first-hand opportunity to review the provision and 
coordination of VA services for war related post-traumatic stress 
disorders (PTSD) and other readjustment difficulties specific to war 
veterans. For this purpose, the Committee will tour facilities, and 
engage in discussions with VA service providers and veteran consumers.
    The meeting on July 23 will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. 
The day's agenda will be conducted concurrently at three different 
locations. Specifically, one Committee subgroup will visit the Fort 
Harrison VA Medical & Regional Office Center (VAM&ROC), Williams 
Street/Highway 19, Fort Harrison, Montana 59636, and one Committee 
subgroup will visit the VA Medical Center (VAMC), North 4815 Assembly, 
Spokane, Washington 99205. The day's agenda will consist of direct 
observations of VA mental health services with particular attention to 
PTSD programs, and a review of the PTSD claims process at the Fort 
Harrison VAM&ROC. An additional focus for the meeting is continuity of 
care and clinical follow-up between area VA medical facilities and Vet 
Centers. A third Committee subgroup will visit with Native American 
veterans on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana. The day's 
agenda will consist of assessing veterans needs and services provided 
by VA.
    The meeting on July 24 will also begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 
p.m. The second day's agenda will also be conducted concurrently at 
three different locations. The day's agenda will consist of a 
continuation of direct observations of VA programs and facilities at 
the Vet Center, 500 N. Higgins Avenue, Missoula, Montana 59802, and Vet 
Center, West 1708 Mission Street, Spokane, Washington 99201. 
Concurrently, the third Committee subgroup will be visiting with Native 
American veterans on the Flathead reservation in Polson, Montana. The 
day's agenda will consist of assessing veterans needs and services 
provided by VA.

[[Page 37448]]

    The meeting on July 25 will begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 1:00 
p.m. The third day's agenda will consist of a full Committee executive 
meeting to review findings and conclusions, and formulate 
recommendations. The meeting will be conducted at the Edgewater Double 
Tree Hotel, 100 Madison Street, Missoula, Montana. Their phone number 
is [phone].
    The meeting will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 
23, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 24, in accordance with 
the provisions cited in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) pursuant to subsection 
10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. During this portion of the 
meeting, the Committee will be engaging in discussions with clinical 
service providers and veterans consumers. The discussions will disclose 
information of a personal nature for veteran patients, which would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. The 
meeting on Saturday, July 25, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be open to 
the public.
    Anyone having questions concerning the meeting may contact Alfonso 
R. Batres, Ph.D., M.S.S.W., Chief, Readjustment Counseling Officer, 
Department of Veterans Affairs Headquarters Office at [phone].

    Dated: July 2, 1998.
Heyward Bannister,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-18322 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 am]
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