GEORGETOWN, Del. – Sussex County veterans will soon benefit from expanded health care services as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) moves forward with plans to lease a new medical facility in the area.
According to Delaware's congressional delegation, the facility will significantly increase the capacity and range of care available locally, reducing the need for veterans to travel to the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Elsmere for specialized services.
The new facility is expected to feature approximately 136,000 net usable square feet (NUSF) and hundreds of parking spaces. This expansion marks a dramatic increase from the current Sussex County Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which has 11,155 NUSF. The current structure is located in Georgetown.
Once completed, the facility will offer enhanced primary care, mental health services, specialty care, and ancillary services, improving the overall experience for veterans in the region.
“One of the best ways we can honor our servicemembers is to make sure they are able to use the benefits they earned and deserve when they return home,” said Senator Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy. “I was proud to work alongside my colleagues to pass this historic expansion of health care services for veterans and bring those services closer to veterans throughout our region. This is an important step in our mission to better serve veterans.”
The project is part of a national VA initiative to enhance health care access for veterans. Funded through the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act passed in 2022, the initiative includes over $630 million in lease and construction options for new facilities in states like Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
In addition to increasing capacity, the Sussex County facility aims to improve operational efficiency and deliver a more seamless patient experience. The project will also support the region's growing veteran population by offering modernized facilities and expanded access to critical health services.
“This new facility in Sussex County will build upon the VA’s accomplishments of delivering a record amount of access, benefits, and appointments to our deserving service members upon their return home," added Senator Chris Coons.
According to a release from Delaware's congressional delegation, veterans in the area will gain greater access to services such as inpatient medicine and specialty care, in addition to routine and mental health care.
“Ensuring that veterans have access to quality health care remains a top priority of mine. It’s why I’ve worked across the aisle in Congress to help secure the licensing approval of this new VA facility in Sussex County,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester.
The planned facility joins similar VA expansions in southern New Jersey and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, to enhance care options for veterans across the region.