The long-awaited Vero Beach U.S. Veterans Affairs Multispecialty Clinic in the 777 37th Street building east of Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital will finally open for business in two weeks.
“The West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System will begin to see patients at the Indian River VA Clinic starting March 27, 2026,” spokesperson Kaila Bird told Vero Beach 32963.
First announced in the fall of 2024, the $8 million clinic was set to open in March 2025, bringing Vero’s veterans much-needed specialty care. In February 2025, the VA pushed the opening date back to September. In September, the opening was delayed again – to this March for Phase 1 and May for Phase 2.
Vero has long had a primary care clinic on 17th Street, but up until now, veterans have had to travel to the Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center in West Palm Beach to receive specialty care, a 150-mile, three-hour round trip. Approximately 12 percent of adults in Indian River County are veterans, compared to 8.6 percent of all adults in Florida. Of the 15,000 veterans living in Indian River County: 88 percent are age 65 or older, 34 percent are disabled, 24 percent are unemployed, and 5 percent live in poverty, according to the Indian River Community Foundation.
That number includes more than 300 World War II veterans, along with nearly 1,500 from the Korean War, almost 6,000 from the Vietnam war and a large number of Gulf War vets.
Services planned for Phase 1 of the clinic opening this month are Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Chiropractic services. Phase 2 is scheduled to open in May, adding Audiology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Neurology, Podiatry, Prosthetics, Pulmonary, Urology, and Blood draw.
The VA will create an estimated 40 jobs by opening the clinic. Nurse Manager Jennifer Harris, MSN, RN-BC, CCM has been tapped by the VA to head up the new clinic. Phase Two positions are or will be posted online at USAjobs.gov.
Local veterans can attend monthly meetings of the Veterans Council of Indian River County to get help with veterans’ services or connect with the organization by visiting veteransirc.com or calling 772-410-5820.
U.S. Navy veteran Dr. Michael Fortunato, who chairs the local Veterans Council, said, “Our general council meeting, which is open to the public, is held the first Wednesday of the month in the meeting room of County Building B. The VA has been very good about attending and giving as much information as possible.”
