New veterans’ facility moving forward in Sussex County

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that it is moving forward with an official competitive procurement process to lease a new medical facility in Sussex County. Final details will be confirmed when the procurement process is complete, officials said, but the current project proposal seeks to build out or lease about 136,000 net usable square feet to include hundreds of parking spaces. Sussex County currently has 11,155 usable square feet for veterans’ services.

The move would expand services provided at the Sussex County Community Based Outpatient Clinic and help downstate veterans get care closer to home, officials said, so they don’t have to travel to the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Elsmere. 

Officials said the new space in Sussex County would also seek to improve veterans’ overall experience by increasing operational efficiency, primary-care space, and continued access to additional mental health, specialty care, inpatient medicine and ancillary services. 

“One of the best ways we can honor our service members is to make sure they are able to use the benefits they earned and deserve when they return home,” said Sen. Tom Carper, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, in a statement. “I was proud to work alongside my colleagues to pass this historic expansion of healthcare 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 Sussex County procurement process was part of the Nov. 20 Environment and Public Works Committee resolution, approving more than $630 million in lease or construction options that include the Mid-Atlantic corridor. 

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, now a senator-elect, sent a bipartisan letter urging the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to approve the resolution granting the medical lease for the new facility. 

“Ensuring that veterans have access to quality healthcare 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,” Blunt Rochester said in a statement. 

The VA began the procurement process for new facilities across the U.S. after the 2022 passage of President Joe Biden’s Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. New facilities planned for southern New Jersey and Cumberland County, Pa., will also provide regional options for veterans.

“The Biden administration has spearheaded the largest investment in veterans’ healthcare in my lifetime, and with the advocacy of the last Vietnam veteran serving in the Senate – Sen. Carper – Delaware’s veterans can look forward to the levels of support they deserve,” said Sen. Chris Coons in a statement. “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.” 

A Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic opened in Georgetown in 2017, across Route 404 from Delaware Technical Community College.