Northeast College Honors Veterans, Longtime VA Partnership with Free Health Screenings
Northeast College of Health Sciences will celebrate Veterans Day and its longtime partnership with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by providing Veterans with complimentary healthcare screenings at its outpatient health centers in Depew, Levittown, and Seneca Falls, N.Y., throughout November.
A premier educator of future healthcare professionals, Northeast College is pleased to provide veteran health screenings and benefit check-ups for all of November. Free services include spinal screenings, posture analysis screenings and blood pressure screenings. In addition, custom orthotics will be available at a reduced $90 cost ($150 value), and a New York State Department of Veteran Services representative will visit the College community health centers at individualized times by site throughout the month to discuss Veteran benefits and opportunities.
“Similar to the VA we believe in approaching our Veterans health and well-being by utilizing a whole-health approach to provide quality patient care with dignity,” said Daryon Ray, assistant dean of clinical education at the Northeast College Levittown Health Center. “With this initiative, veterans will receive a variety of health-related screenings and gain a better understanding of their health.”
Northeast Supporting Veterans in the Community Year-Round
Northeast College and its healthcare-focused students regularly attend community events throughout the year to provide Veterans with healthcare advice, tips and services to help manage pain and improve their overall quality of life.
In September 2024, Northeast College Assistant Professor Dr. Brad Hopkins and student chiropractic clerks from the College’s Depew Health Center participated in a suicide prevention event at the Veterans One-Stop Shop in Buffalo, N.Y. While there, Northeast College clerks, led by Hopkins, discussed ways to manage chronic pain, and the comorbidity of mental health illness.
“As healthcare providers, we discussed proper soft tissue mobilization and stretching techniques to help Veterans with their pain,” Hopkins said. “We teach Veterans how to incorporate our tips and advice into their daily routines.”
In August 2024, student clerks and faculty from the Levittown Health Center also participated in VetFest at the Northport VA Medical Center, led by Daryon Ray from the College’s Long Island Campus and Levittown Health Center.
“Veterans, unfortunately, are sometimes overlooked or don’t have access to quick and convenient healthcare,” said Ray, currently serving in the U.S. Air Force. "At VetFest we provided Veterans with information regarding our many services, including nutritional counseling, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. This way they can make informed decisions that align with their specific needs."
Northeast Student Clerks Provide Chiropractic Care to Vets
Northeast College of Health Sciences, with campuses in the Finger Lakes region of N.Y. and on Long Island, has a long history of working to improve access to healthcare for Veterans and has partnered with the VA for nearly two decades. Currently, Northeast has affiliations with more than 10 VA medical centers to provide healthcare services. Each VA site also has a Northeast affiliated clinical faculty member.
“Partnering with the VA for more than 20 years, hundreds of students have attended clinical rotations at our partnering VA medical centers,” said Northeast College Dean of Clinical Education Wendy Maneri. “Our student clerks have provided thousands of chiropractic adjustments to Veterans.”
Just months after the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) mandated chiropractic as a Veteran benefit in 2004, the College, known as New York Chiropractic College at the time, had chiropractic students participating in their clinical studies starting at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center in N.Y.
College Developed First VA Chiropractic Residency
Also prompted by the NDAA, in 2012, the College paved the way for even more opportunities to provide care to Veterans with the first-ever VA chiropractic residency program. Maneri is the Northeast College academic affiliate with the Finger Lakes VA and works to review qualified candidates as part of the residency search committee. Northeast college is also the academic affiliate for the Western New York VA Healthcare system. Residents’ duties include working alongside the VA system’s established providers during rotations with various specialists in neurology, orthopedics, physiatry, pain management, primary care and physical therapy.
Northeast and VA: Longtime Partnership
“On Veterans Day, and throughout the year, Northeast College and its health centers thank our nations’ Veterans for their service,” said College President Dr. Michael Mestan. “We remain dedicated to enhancing healthcare opportunities for Veterans while training Northeast students and future healthcare professionals to provide care with compassion and dignity.”
This November 2024, free health screenings for Veterans are available Monday -Thursday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. at all Northeast College health centers. Information about healthcare services, including nutrition, massage, acupuncture and chiropractic will also be available. Walk-ins are welcome, but scheduling an appointment is encouraged.
Seneca Falls Health Center: 2360 State Route 89, Seneca Falls, N.Y. 315.568.3166
Depew Health Center: 4974 Transit Road, Depew N.Y. 716.685.9631
Levittown Health Center: 70 Division Ave., Levittown N.Y. 516.796.4800