Irving Peoples was a ranger in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1984, including a stint in a peacekeeping group in Lebanon.
After his service, Peoples returned home to Jersey City, and for decades afterward, suffered from bad knees and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
He was diagnosed with PTSD as schizophrenic/bipolar two years ago at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in East Orange.
At least once a month, Peoples, who doesn’t have a car, travels to the hospital in East Orange, which he calls a major inconvenience because of the distance.
“Some appointments can be a month away,” Peoples said, “but you might need care right away.”
To make things more convenient for veterans in Hudson and Passaic counties, CarePoint Health — owner and operator of three hospitals in Hudson County — has partnered with the VA to provide more efficient care for veterans and active-duty service members and their families. Veterans can seek appointments at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, Bayonne Medical Center and Hoboken University Medical Center.
“The new partnership was announced Friday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Samuel R. Shelton Post 2294 on Oak Street in Jersey City.
“The announcement today is significant, there’s no question about it,” said Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, a Marine veteran. “There’s 40,000 veterans in Hudson County. There are 500,000 in the state of New Jersey. And I think what you’re seeing here is a model for the 21st Century on healthcare for veterans, how it’s going to be delivered.”
CarePoint Health is Hudson County’s first authorized healthcare system for Patient-Centered Community Care (PCCC), a VA program that provides eligible veterans and retired and active-duty service members and their families access to specialty care through community based, non-VA medical professionals.
The PCCC program allows participants to explore “out of network” options and receive medical care that is timely and close to home. Participants who are currently enrolled in the VA healthcare system are eligible.
For decades, Vietnam War veteran Charles McKenney felt angry and depressed. In 2010, he was diagnosed with PTSD and since then, has been receiving care, including group therapy sessions in New York City.
“We came back from Vietnam and were put back into society, McKenney said. “We didn’t have time to deprogram our minds.”
McKenney is glad he now can seek the treatment they need a lot closer to home.
Veterans interested in choosing CarePoint Health as their PCCC provider should contact their nearest VA office. TRICARE beneficiaries should contact their primary care physicians to discuss utilizing CarePoint Health for specialty care appointments.
