VA Portland Health Care System serves more than 95,000 Veterans a year across most of Oregon and SW
01/09/2026
Whether it’s through faith, physical exercise, a hobby, or finding ways to connect with others, building small moments of calm and connection into your day can help protect against su***de.
Explore resources that can work for you: MentalHealth.VA.gov/su***de_prevention
01/08/2026
Don’t let those extras go to waste! Your VA dietitian can help find healthy and delicious ideas for your leftovers. Check out this recipe for anything-baked burritos!
Your story and experiences can shape Veteran health care.
Million Veteran Program (MVP) participants may complete the new Military Experiences and Toxic Exposures Survey in your online participant dashboard.
Survey responses help researchers better understand how your deployments, occupations, and exposure to toxic or hazardous substances may impact Veteran health and inform improvements in care.
You don’t have to wait for things to get bad to reach out. Support is here for you right now—Dial 988 then Press 1, chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
Free, 24/7, confidential support is a click away. Our chat responders are available 24/7 to provide support and connect you with resources.
01/06/2026
At Make the Connection, we share stories from real Veterans who have faced tough times and found a way forward—helping others recognize that they are not alone along the way.
Learn how mental health treatment made a difference for them and how it could help you too.
Follow Make the Connection for more inspiring Veteran stories.
Did you know there is a Monkey Puzzle Tree on the VA's Vancouver campus?
Located in the northwest corner of the VA Portland Health Care System's Vancouver campus, visible from East Fourth Plain Blvd., is an Araucaria Araucana, commonly called the pewen, monkey-puzzle, pehuen or piñonero, is an evergreen tree belonging to the family Araucariaceae and growing to a height of 30–40 m and a trunk diameter of 1–1.5 m.
Deemed an endangered species due to a worldwide population decline, the tree is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina and is the hardiest species in the conifer genus Araucaria.
There are a number of these Monkey Puzzle trees growing in and around the Portland Metro area, thanks to the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, when the Chilean delegation distributed seedlings to visitors. These trees, which are the national tree of Chile, were then planted in gardens throughout the city, leading to the numerous, distinctive trees found in Portland today. Many of these trees are considered "heritage trees" and are a notable part of Portland's landscape, with a local fan club even tracking their locations.
Now you know!
01/05/2026
Enrolled Veterans: You can ask about the toxic exposure screening at your next VA health care appointment. The screening averages about 5-10 minutes and typically occurs during regular health care appointments. During your toxic exposure screening, a member of your care team will have a conversation with you and ask if you believe you experienced toxic exposures during your military service. They may connect you to additional support and resources if you answer “yes.”
As an enrolled Veteran, you will receive the screening at least once every five years. If you answer that you are unsure if exposures occurred, your care team will offer the screening every year to ensure nothing has changed.
Contact your local VA facility and request a screening if you do not have an upcoming appointment. Visit VA.gov/PACT for more information.
Starting the year off strong means taking care of your mental health. VA offers treatment in many different care settings that can be tailored to you. Make an appointment or speak with your VA provider about ways to access care that fit your lifestyle.
Self-compassion is not something that you either have or don’t have. Like many other skills it takes practice. Practicing self-compassion is not a selfish practice. In fact, self-compassion lays the foundation for us to have deeper and more meaningful connections with others.
At the start of 2026, the VA Portland would like you to practice self-compassion. What better way to do this than to explore the Whole Health Blog, which offers many different ways to connect with neighbors and community, learn yoga or Tai-Chi, practice meditation and self-kindness, or to achieve mindfulness.
Are you, or a loved one a victim of Military S*xual Trauma?
Military S*xual Trauma (MST) refers to physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the former member of the Armed Forces was serving on duty orders.
There are no other restrictions on:
• Time and location,
• On or off duty,
• At or away from the assigned duty station,
• Identity of alleged perpetrator, or
• S*x of the service member who experienced MST.
Veterans who are not eligible for other VA care should be provided the opportunity to be evaluated by a VA clinician at no cost to determine if there are any MST related health conditions requiring treatment.
VA provides free outpatient, inpatient and residential services to both male and female Veterans recovering from MST. Outpatient services are available at every VA health care facility. VA also offers specialized MST treatment in a residential or inpatient setting for Veterans who need more intense treatment and support. For more information, contact the MST Coordinator at your nearest VA medical facility or visit www.mentalhealth.va.gov/msthome/. A list of VA and Vet Center facilities can be found online at www.va.gov/directory.
Portland Post-9/11 Military to VA (M2VA) Case Management Program & Portland Veteran Experience Office (VEO) Present:
Newly-Enrolled Veteran Orientation
Dates/Locations:
January 9th, 2026, 0900 – 1200
Portland VA Hospital
Address: 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR 97239
January 12th, 2026, 0900 – 1200
Vancouver Main Campus
Address: 1601 E 4th Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661
Join us for this informative in-person event designed to provide you with essential educational information about how our healthcare system works.
This orientation is a great opportunity to:
• Learn about the various services and programs available to you
• Understand how to navigate the VA Health Care System
• Meet our dedicated staff and fellow Veterans
• Get answers to any questions you may have
This new VA Veteran Orientation session will help you navigate VHA & VBA resources, services, and support.
The Veterans Crisis Line is a toll-free, confidential resource that connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring VA responders.
Veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of su***de and individuals who know a Veteran in crisis can call the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
They can:
• Call 988 and press 1,
• Chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net or
• Text to 838255, even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care.
The professionals at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances.
You are not alone, and the VA has resources to help.
24/7, confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones. Contact the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online, or text 838255.
Address
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239
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In November 1921 a hospital for Veterans was opened by the United States Public Health Service in Portland, Oregon.
On May 1, 1922 it was transferred from the Public Health Service to the United States Veterans’ Bureau.
The land for the Portland Campus was donated in 1926 by the regents of the Oregon Health & Science University Hospital after they received the entire Marquam Hill property from Mrs. C.S. Jackson.
The first 15 buildings were completed and dedicated in 1929.
In 1932 the New Administration building was built.
In 1935 building 4 was renovated.
13 temporary (Quonset huts) were added from 1946-48.
In 1948 the Veterans Administration launched a $3 million hospital addition on Marquam Hill in Sam Jackson Park for a seven-story 155 bed tuberculosis hospital. The tuberculosis Hospital, Building 25, was completed in 1949.
In 1955 the Oregon VA Hospitals went through modernization.
The Construction of the U.S. Army Hospital by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was completed in 1940.
The hospital was dedicated and named after General Joseph K. Barnes, MD, Surgeon General in 1941.
Barnes General Hospital opened and the first patient was admitted in 1941.
In 1945 Twenty-Three German Prisoner’s of War (POWs) were transferred to the Barnes General Hospital as a labor battalion.
In 1946 Barnes General Hospital was reduced from 1502 to 100 beds, and the staff was cut from 1056 to 126 staff members. The name was changed to the Vancouver Barracks Station Hospital, as ownership was transferred to the Veterans Administration; opening the doors on August 1, 1946 in Vancouver, Washington.
In 1957 the Vancouver Hospital was separated from the Portland VA Hospital
