Boots and flags were placed on different memorials for a Memorial Day celebration at Veterans Memorial Park in Blaine on May 29. (Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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The unassuming name "Vet Centers" belies the facilities' importance in helping the nation's military families readjust to civilian life.

Part of the Veterans Affairs' (VA) health care system, Vet Centers (yes, that's the official name) offer a wide range of community-based counseling services at no cost, including individual, group, marriage and family counseling. Often, the centers' health professionals are veterans themselves, with experience enhancing their empathy and insights.

Given alarming veteran suicide rates and the modern understanding of battlefield trauma's lingering impact, expanding the limited number of Vet Centers in Minnesota is a responsible, compassionate step. That's why new legislation from Rep. Brad Finstad, a Republican representing southern Minnesota, merits swift passage by his House colleagues.

Minnesota currently has three Vet Centers. Two are in the metro — Anoka and St. Paul — and the third is in Duluth. As Todd Kemery of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Minnesota chapter noted in an interview, that leaves veterans in the southern third of the state without convenient access to vital services. Clearly, this requires remedy.

Finstad's bill calls for opening a new center in Mankato. That location wouldn't just expand veterans' counseling services in the state, but would potentially spur more vets to seek out services if they don't have to travel to the Twin Cities, a trip which costs money and time.

Navigating metro traffic can also deter veterans from traveling to the metro Vet Centers as well, said Greg Peterson, legislative director of the Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers. Peterson, who served in the U.S. Air Force, is also the Director of Veterans Service for southern Minnesota's Brown County.

Opening a center in Mankato would remove this daunting hurdle, encouraging veterans to book an appointment, Peterson said. That's important when Vet Center appointments are often a first step to seek help. Peterson added that the Vet Centers also have a more relaxed atmosphere than a traditional clinic setting, an attribute that may further encourage veterans to seek help.

Basic math also makes a strong case for adding another Vet Center in the state. Currently, Minnesota is home to 303,272 veterans, according to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs 2022 annual report. That means each of the state's three existing locations serves more than 100,000 veterans.

It's not clear how long wait times are for needed appointments, but the numbers make obvious the need for additional capacity. When a veteran — or his or her family members, who are also eligible for services — need help, it's critical to get them in as soon as possible.

Sadly, veterans' suicide risk remains significantly higher than the general population. According to the most recent VA data, 6,146 veterans died by their own hand in 2020. That's 343 fewer than 2019, but still alarming. "In 2020, the [suicide] rate for Veterans was 57.3% higher than that of non-Veteran adults," the VA concluded in its 2022 annual report.

Finstad's bill seeks $1.4 million in funding. This would cover the cost of leasing and renovating a southern Minnesota location, with ongoing operations covered by the VA. That's a relatively small investment of taxpayer dollars to address such an important public health need.

As Finstad's office noted in an interview, it's difficult to predict when this bill or any bill may clear Congress. His legislation, however, should garner strong support from his Republican colleagues, who currently control the House, and in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Still, passage even for important measures like this can take time.

Having the VA act on its own to open a Vet Center in Mankato may be the fastest way to accomplish this. An editorial writer's inquiry to the VA garnered this response from a spokesman:

"While we are unable to comment on this pending legislation, we will continue to work with Congress to ensure Veterans have the care, access to benefits, and resources readily available to them when they need them most."

Finstad has commendably identified a critical gap in veteran services and offered a sensible solution. Minnesota's congressional delegation should lend their support to make a much-needed southern Minnesota Vet Center a reality as soon as possible.