VA Atlas telehealth station approved for Fort Bragg veterans; soft opening planned for June
May 19, 2026 | Mendocino County, California
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Mendocino County and the San Francisco VA have finalized plans to open a VA Atlas telehealth site in Fort Bragg, officials told the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on May 20. The site will be located in the Veterans Memorial Building and operated in partnership with the county’s Department of Social Services and local veterans service organizations.
What Atlas is: VA Atlas (Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations) places private, VA‑approved telehealth rooms in trusted community locations so veterans can meet with VA providers by secure video without long travel or home‑internet barriers. The program supplies secure technology, on‑site assistance and private exam space.
Local details: San Francisco VA connected‑care staff (Valerie Brewer and Sharon Offel) said more than 800 veterans live within a 15‑mile radius of Fort Bragg and the nearest VA medical facility may be roughly 57 miles away. The planned Fort Bragg Atlas site will operate initially on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will offer primary care and mental‑health video visits. Four local volunteer attendants—Ulyssus Lopez, Richard Kandle, Ricky Cooper and Patricia Long—were named to support rooming and basic technology assistance. A soft opening is planned for the week of June 22, with a grand opening between July and August and progressive service expansion into the fall.
Why it matters: County staff said the site will reduce travel time, lower financial burdens from mileage, and improve care access for rural veterans who face long drives and limited home broadband. Staff also noted arrangements already in place with the county guest network for secure connectivity and with local veteran organizations that operate out of the same building as the proposed Atlas room.
Board action: The Board accepted the presentation and voted unanimously to receive the report and thank the VA and county staff for their work. No board approval was required beyond acceptance of the informational presentation.
Next steps: The VA and county will complete operational details (scheduling, lab/mobile unit schedules, and protocols for clinical workflows), finalize soft‑open logistics, and confirm the grand‑opening schedule. County staff said they will return with updates if operational adjustments or county resource commitments become necessary.
What Atlas is: VA Atlas (Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations) places private, VA‑approved telehealth rooms in trusted community locations so veterans can meet with VA providers by secure video without long travel or home‑internet barriers. The program supplies secure technology, on‑site assistance and private exam space.
Local details: San Francisco VA connected‑care staff (Valerie Brewer and Sharon Offel) said more than 800 veterans live within a 15‑mile radius of Fort Bragg and the nearest VA medical facility may be roughly 57 miles away. The planned Fort Bragg Atlas site will operate initially on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will offer primary care and mental‑health video visits. Four local volunteer attendants—Ulyssus Lopez, Richard Kandle, Ricky Cooper and Patricia Long—were named to support rooming and basic technology assistance. A soft opening is planned for the week of June 22, with a grand opening between July and August and progressive service expansion into the fall.
Why it matters: County staff said the site will reduce travel time, lower financial burdens from mileage, and improve care access for rural veterans who face long drives and limited home broadband. Staff also noted arrangements already in place with the county guest network for secure connectivity and with local veteran organizations that operate out of the same building as the proposed Atlas room.
Board action: The Board accepted the presentation and voted unanimously to receive the report and thank the VA and county staff for their work. No board approval was required beyond acceptance of the informational presentation.
Next steps: The VA and county will complete operational details (scheduling, lab/mobile unit schedules, and protocols for clinical workflows), finalize soft‑open logistics, and confirm the grand‑opening schedule. County staff said they will return with updates if operational adjustments or county resource commitments become necessary.
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