HOT SPRINGS, S.D. (KOTA TV) - In 2017, the Department of Veteran Affairs released its final report on restructuring the VA health system in the Black Hills.
The report stated that the preferred option would be to open a new facility in Rapid City and shrink services at the Hot Springs VA Center.
However, Monday morning, we learned that is no longer the plan.
It's been a hot topic in Hot Springs, the closing of the VA Hospital and on Monday morning, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie announced that they will take another look at the plan.
"He will take a new look at the 2017 record of decision. That's what we've been asking for and we're very grateful he said that," said Representative Dusty Johnson.
South Dakota has more than 65,000 Veterans across the state, but the VA Hospital in Hot Springs is special.
"It's incredibly important because it doesn't just serve Veterans from South Dakota, from the surrounding states they travel in to get care and from our tribal nations," said Governor Kristi Noem. "The facilities here are unlike any in the rest of the country for taking care of Native Americans and incorporating their culture into the healing process."
The facility won't just stay open, but now mental illness will be placed at the forefront.
According to Veteran Affairs, more than 1.7 million Veterans nationwide received treatment in a VA mental health specialty program in 2018.
"The budget that I presented to the congress is the largest in our history," said Wilkie. "The largest expansion is for mental health, about ten and a half billion dollars is for mental health and that is the last frontier for medicine. That is an issue we as a nation have not had a long conversation about."
Noem couldn't agree more.
"That is exactly the vision we have for this facility is to invest in PTSD treatment and mental health care for Veterans," said Noem.
Funding will also go into modernizing and upgrading the facility.
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