REP. THOMPSON HOSTS SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ROBERT MCDONALD AT THE VETERANS HOME OF CALIFORNIA-YOUNTVILLE

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson today visited the Veterans Home of California-Yountville with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald. Thompson invited Secretary McDonald to visit the veterans’ home in Yountville so that the Secretary could see the important services provided to veterans firsthand and discuss ways in which the home can work in partnership with the federal government. The Secretary also learned about Pathway Home, a non-profit based at the Yountville home that provides support to veterans transitioning to civilian life, with an emphasis on student veterans. California Secretary for Veterans Affairs Vito Imbasciani also participated in Secretary McDonald’s visit.

“I’m honored that Secretary McDonald accepted my invitation to visit our veterans’ home in Yountville,” said Thompson. The Veterans Home of California-Yountville is a great example of our federal and state government working together alongside private partners to provide our veterans with the care they need. As a veteran, I firmly believe that one of our country’s greatest responsibilities is to care for the men and women who bravely served our country in uniform. Many thanks to Secretary McDonald, Secretary Imbasciani and everyone with the Yountville veterans’ home for coming together this morning to ensure that our partnership remains strong and that our heroes in Yountville have the best possible care and support.”

Participants at this morning’s visit include: Don Veverka, Administrator for the Veterans Home of California-Yountville; Bonnie Graham, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System Director; State Senator Lois Wolk; Assemblyman Bill Dodd; and other officials from the Pathway Home.

Founded in 1884, the Veterans Home of California-Yountville is one of the oldest in the nation and with about 1,000 residents it’s the largest veterans’ home in the United States. The veterans who reside at the home served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Pathway Home is a non-profit based at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville that provides support to veterans transitioning to civilian life, with an emphasis placed on supporting student veterans. Thompson has long been an advocate for the Pathway Home and has fought to secure funding for federal programs, such as a grant program for Veterans Student Centers, that the Pathway Home would be eligible to receive. Thompson also introduced legislation that was signed into law in 2014 that launched a pilot program to allow service members and veterans to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) at certain non-VA centers like the Pathway Home that offer innovative treatment options.

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