Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Politicians tour Texas VA hospital
By Victoria Mgbemena
The Lariat (Baylor U.)
03/28/2008

(U-WIRE) WACO, Texas — United States Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Congressman Chet Edwards and U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs James Peake visited the Waco, Texas, Veteran Affairs Medical Center Thursday to support plans in progress for the expansion of the veteran mental health research facilities.

The Waco VA developed a vision that includes advanced research for the assessment and treatment of war veterans and their families. The vision will be realized in large part through the expansion of the Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, which will employ state-of-the-art techniques to develop practices of care for the veterans. In 2003 the Waco VA campus nearly faced closure, but was given another chance at life by former U.S. VA secretary Jim Nicholson in 2006. The expansion of the Center is becoming a reality through the efforts of Hutchison and Edwards to advocate funding in the US Senate.

The Waco VA will partner with Fort Hood military base to use the funding for research initiatives and new technologies. Edwards authored a $5.7 million request for the Waco VA's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research program, among the $11.8 billion funding increases provided by his and Hutchison's subcommittees. The Waco VA has committed more than $50 million towards the expansion.

"We are committed to making sure that this will not survive, but thrive," Hutchison said. "We couldn't have had a better team."

Hutchison praised Edwards and Peake for their efforts, as well as the City of Waco and the mayor for bringing the community together in a leading effort to highlight their efficiency in making the developments for war veteran care a reality.

Peake spoke on the progress of the medical center's goal. Peake said that the project is at the forefront of research because of the emerging generation of war veterans.

"The unique location of Waco and Fort Hood was appreciated. More important than the buildings are the people," Peake said. "This collaboration will allow continuity of care and seamlessness of systems working together."

Along with creating more than 138 employment positions, the center will feature a $3 million mobile MRI machine to support the PTSD research program. Baylor University professor of psychology and neuroscience Sara Dolan is working directly with the Center as an investigator on the Treatment Development and Treatment Outcome Committee. Suzy B. Gulliver, director of the Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans said that the Center's partnership with Baylor has been vital.

"We currently have three practicum students with the Center on analyzing data and working with patients," Gulliver said. "Our collaborative relationship with Baylor has been in place since the very beginnings and has been very important to the progress of research at this facility."

Keith Young, core leader for neuroimaging and genetics, said that the Baylor students' work has translated to be as good as money. Young also said that without the Baylor faculty and students the center would not be as successful as it was.

The Center has secured $22.95 million in research funding for set projects in the next five years. Budgeting for the first year has already been approved, and the Center is continuing to recruit for core staff positions, which include post-doctoral fellows and a physicist. A current initiative includes investing in delivery of clinical care treatment and education. The Center would like to eventually compile a research portfolio to include grants from the National Institute of Health and National Science Foundationand hire 10 to 15 principal investigators to assist in providing results to be used nationally and internationally.

An additional goal for the center is to employ 50 full-time personnel and expand the human resources department.

Hutchison has worked with the Waco VA in its research endeavors in the past. Edwards commended her for her tireless efforts as chairperson of the Senate VA Appropriations Committee.

"I salute her for her key initiative," Edwards said. "One of the pivotal points in keeping our hospital open was her authorship of the legislation to designate the Waco VA as a Center of Excellence for Mental Health Care."

About 5.8 million veterans nationwide rely on Veteran Affairs for their health care needs.

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