Veterans Affairs officials on Wednesday gave definitive dates for the permanent VA clinic in Lake Charles, with construction set to wrap up June 14 and opening day scheduled for Aug. 28.

“I want this to be the health care provider of choice in this community,” Peter Dancy, medical center director of the Alexandria VA Health Care System, said during a meeting of the Veterans Action Coalition.

 Work has progressed on the 24,000-square-foot permanent clinic, at 3601 Gerstner Memorial Drive, since it broke ground last June. Dancy said the facility’s contractor will hand the keys over to the VA during a ceremony, set for June 16.

He said notices will be mailed to veterans about the clinic’s timeline July 24-28. Office equipment will be installed in early August, and staff is scheduled to move into the facility Aug. 22-25.

A dedication/open house ceremony will take place Oct. 20.

‘Hopefully, with these expanded services, it will allow veterans to get care where they live so they won’t have to travel to Alexandria as much.’ PETER DANCY – Alexandria VA Health Care System

Dancy said an additional 25 staff members are expected to work at the permanent clinic. The interim clinic, at 814 W. McNeese St., has nine staff members. He said the Lake Charles clinic “will be fully staffed” once it opens in August, something that didn’t happen when the Lafayette clinic opened in November.

The clinic will offer services like mental health, nutrition, pharmacy, dental, eye care, hearing aid services, Xray imaging, physical therapy and prosthetics. He said the Telehealth service will also be available at the clinic.

“Hopefully, with these expanded services, it will allow veterans to get care where they live so they won’t have to travel to Alexandria as much,” Dancy said.

Dancy said roughly 1,600 veterans in the Lake Area visit the interim clinic. Jim Nunn, co-chairman of the Veterans Action Coalition, said that number is expected to increase by 50 percent once the permanent clinic opens.

Because of the anticipated growth in patients, Dancy said the VA expects to add another primary care provider in May. There are two provider teams right now in the interim clinic.

Nunn spoke of the permanent clinic giving the local economy a “shot in the arm.”

“Opening this clinic is very much like opening a huge company in Lake Charles,” he said. “That will be a great benefit to the veterans in the local area.”

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ONLINE: www.vacoalition.com.