Oklahoma Senator Brenda Stanley hosted an interim study examining how Oklahoma can improve veterans’ care, including long-term plans for state-run veterans homes.
Stanley chairs the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. She invited officials from the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs and the Oklahoma Veterans Commission to discuss veterans’ needs and opportunities for additional state support.
Oklahoma is home to more than 275,000 veterans, according to the release.
“We have done a lot for veterans in Oklahoma, but there is always more that can be done to give back to the brave men and women who have served our country,” Stanley said.
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Executive Director James Bynum presented “Posturing for 2047,” a long-range plan addressing operations at state-run veterans homes, maintaining standards of care and diversifying revenue sources.
The department oversees seven veterans homes with a combined 1,348 beds.
“As we look forward toward the future, we are considering ways to make sure our veteran homes offer both economic viability as well as quality of life for both residents and staff,” Bynum said.
The study also included testimony from Marine veteran Billy Worthington, who has been receiving care at the Sallisaw veterans home after suffering serious injuries in a motorcycle crash.
Worthington said doctors initially told him he might not walk for a year. With support from the Sallisaw home, he was able to walk into the state Capitol and share his testimony just months later. He expressed gratitude for the care he received.
“Our veterans homes are making a real difference in the lives of the Oklahomans who live there,” Stanley said. “I am looking forward to a continued partnership with the ODVA to ensure Oklahoma continues to have efficient, world-class care for our veterans.”
