VA Portland Health Care System serves more than 95,000 Veterans a year across most of Oregon and SW
04/03/2026
Recovering from the effects of military sexual trauma (MST) can be very difficult, but you don’t have to go through it alone.
VA offers free, personalized support for Veterans who have experienced MST.
Learn more at: Mentalhealth.va.gov/msthome/treatment.asp
04/02/2026
Reminder! The Newly Enrolled Veteran Orientation is tomorrow!
This orientation session is specifically tailored for newly enrolled veterans to help them become familiar with the resources and support available at the Portland VA Health Care System. Our goal is to ensure you have all the information you need to make the most of your VA healthcare benefits.
* 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.
April 3, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Portland VA Hospital
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland OR 97239
04/01/2026
If you’re concerned about a Veteran, you don’t have to help them on your own. Learn how to approach the conversation and connect them with help.
Read more here: VeteransCrisisLine.net/CrisisConversationHandout.
03/31/2026
Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is an annual event dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of the discrimination they face worldwide. Unlike Transgender Awareness Week, which focuses on education and advocacy leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance, TDOV is a day dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the visibility and achievements of transgender individuals.
Observed on the 31st of March 2026, TDOV was founded in 2009 by transgender activist Rachel Crandall to counteract the negative narratives often associated with transgender lives. This day provides an opportunity to acknowledge trans achievements, educate society, and advocate for equal rights.
How you can help celebrate this important day:
-Create and foster a safe space where people feel respected
-Respect and use the names and pronouns people choose to identify themselves
-Educate yourself and increase your understanding
-Do not tolerate hate speech or discriminatory comments from anyone
-Do not assume someone's identity based on their appearance, behavior or other qualities
April is National Donate Life Month: Leave a Legacy!
Please join us on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Atrium at the Portland VA to celebrate National Donate Life Month.
As we approach April, we take a moment to acknowledge the significance of National Donate Life Month, established by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003. This annual observance serves as a reminder to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors, while honoring those who have saved lives through the gift of donation. Visit the Donate Life American site here: https://donatelife.net/
This year’s theme uses trees as a symbol of life and connection. Just like trees grow and support each other in a forest, donation connects people – donors, recipients, and their families. Like a tree that grows and stands for generations, a donor’s gift leaves a lasting legacy of hope and life. Similarly, National Donate Life Month offers an opportunity for us to be part of a life-sustaining community by registering as donors, becoming educated about living donation, and championing the Donate Life cause. For more information, visit https://donatelife.net/donation/types/living-donation/
As a nationally designated liver, kidney, and living kidney transplant center, the Portland VA Health Care System is proud to be at the forefront of this vital work. To learn more about our program, please visit our website. We encourage you to consider becoming an organ, eye, and tissue donor, and to express gratitude to transplant professionals who care for our Veterans, donors, and their families.
Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
03/30/2026
As our March observance of Women's History Month comes to a close, we go out on a "high note", or rather a soulful one.
Today, we look at the life and contributions of Nina Simone.
“The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Mostly known as a jazz singer, her music blended gospel, blues, folk, pop, and classical styles. No popular singer was more closely associated with the Civil Rights Movement than Simone.
To learn more about her musical contributions, and more importantly, her work in the Civil Rights movement, visit
“The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist.
03/30/2026
National Doctors' Day honors physicians for their commitment to their calling and their service to their patients, their communities, and to all of humanity. It is their hard work and dedication that keeps all of us healthy. National Doctors' Day is set aside as holiday to go over and beyond to tell them thanks for what they do for us, our families and the world.
On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors' Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. On August 1, 1989, the SMA Alliance, under the direction of President Mrs. David Thibodeaux, dedicated a bronze marker honoring Mrs. Almond on the grounds of the Court House in Winder, Georgia. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate by Congressmen Mike Parker (D-Mississippi) and G. V. Montgomery (D-Mississippi) and Senator Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi) to establish a national Doctors' Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30 as "National Doctors' Day"
03/29/2026
Be kind to your kidneys! Nutrition matters. Try these low-sodium, kidney-friendly recipes to support your health.
Reminder: the VA Portland Health Care System's Lincoln City Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) is set to close on Tuesday, March 31. Veterans are being transitioned to other VA clinics or community providers.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call your Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) at 971-304-2200, ext. 2, or send us a message through MyHealtheVet.
The Newport VA Clinic will remain open for lab services for Veterans who were previously assigned to Lincoln City or Newport. If you are currently assigned to Ann Summar, NP, and meet eligibility for wait time or travel distance, you will be offered either:
• A referral to a community primary care provider, or
• A transfer to the Salem VA Clinic
Your current care team will continue to manage your care virtually after March 31, 2026, until you are established with your new provider.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this transition. We are committed to making this process as smooth as possible.
03/27/2026
Back when computers were the size of a small apartment, Rear Adm. Grace Hopper (affectionately known as “Amazing Grace”) was a visionary for today’s digital world.
A skilled mathematician and naval officer, Hopper was a force of nature: a brilliant mind with a knack for making the complex accessible and a drive to push the boundaries of what computers could do.
Living Well with Diabetes Virtual Class: 4 sessions
Held on the 1st Tuesday of every month starting in May
Time: 1100-1200
Class conducted on VVC. Led by VA Portland Specialists in diet, medication management and behavior.
To register, contact the scheduling line at 503-220-8262, X58349
03/26/2026
As part of National Nutrition Month® in March, the VA Portland's Whole Health is offering a Series; Make Meal Prep Easy.
Discover the power of nutrition this National Nutrition Month®. Join us for this helpful nutrition presentation where you’ll learn how to make meal prep stress-free, time-saving, and delicious. We’ll cover practical tips for planning balanced meals, choosing versatile ingredients, and creating a routine that works for your lifestyle. Discover how the power of nutrition—and a little prep—can help you eat well every day with ease!
When: Thursday, March 26, 2026, 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PST
Where: Online (registration required). Details and link below.
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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
