As protests in Los Angeles became more widespread and some turned violent over the weekend, leaders of the Veterans Affairs L.A. Ambulatory Care Center made the tough call to close the facility, which serves thousands of patients a week.
The center is one of four federal buildings in a block in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo neighborhood, the focus of demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and the center of ongoing operations by the Los Angeles Police Department and Army National Guard.
Not knowing how long the ambulatory care facility would be closed, Veterans Affairs providers scrambled Sunday evening to make sure their patients -- including vulnerable veterans who require daily medication -- could access vital medical care in the coming week.
Schedulers have worked assiduously to shift appointments to either a later date or to telehealth, while those who get weekly therapy or take methadone to manage substance use disorder were encouraged to seek treatment at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.
A VA staff member with knowledge of the events told Military.com it was an overwhelming response by employees.
"When a crisis like this happens, [the center] is able to respond," the employee said. "Most places don't have the resources we have at the VA."
VA officials said Tuesday that the center would remain closed at least through Wednesday, with a reassessment of the situation regarding operations through the end of the week.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said the facility will reopen "as soon as it is safe to do so, and in the meantime, in-person appointments at the facility are being rescheduled or shifted to telehealth."
"California leaders have repeatedly put the interests of illegal immigrants and criminals above those of hard-working citizens, and now Los Angeles Veterans are paying the price. We are thankful President Trump has the courage to bring order and safety back to the citizens of Los Angeles -- something California leaders have failed to do," Collins said in a statement to Military.com.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass both opposed the deployment of military troops to the city, saying local law enforcement was equipped to handle the protests over the Trump administration's increasingly aggressive immigration raids across the country. Over their objection, Trump commandeered the California National Guard, ordering about 4,000 soldiers and 700 Marines to L.A.
Newsom filed an emergency motion in court Tuesday to stop Trump from expanding the mission, saying that "sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy."
Meanwhile, the health of veterans with mental health conditions or those prescribed medication for substance use treatment are considered particularly at-risk because their conditions may worsen without treatment or they could suffer debilitating withdrawals or relapse.
Patients who abruptly stop taking methadone, for example, may experience nausea, vomiting, pain, agitation and insomnia, according to the National Institutes of Health.
VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz said that since Monday, the facility's patients who have needed urgent care are "being supported at nearby facilities," and those who require daily medication were offered "courtesy pick-up and take-home doses" from the West Los Angeles VA.
The VA's vocational rehabilitation and employment counselors, who work for the VA's Regional Benefits Office at the site, also have pivoted to provide support via virtual appointments, according to Kasperowicz.
Related: Veterans' VA Referrals to Private Medical Care Will No Longer Require Additional Doctor Review
