Your Help is Needed!
We are looking for volunteers to assist with escorting Veterans in wheelchairs so they may enjoy the special events taking place this month at the St. Cloud VA.
This support makes a meaningful difference and helps create positive experiences for the Veterans we serve.
Memorial Day on May 25, 2026, from 9:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Patient Escort
- Refreshment Table Assistance
- Set-Up & Take-Down (beginning at 8 a.m.)
Family Day on May 30, 2026, from 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
If you are interested in helping with either of these upcoming events, please reach out to Center for Development and Civic Engagement (Voluntary Service) at 320-255-6365 or email vhastcvavsstaff@va.gov
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Memorial Day
Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service.
Memorial Day will be observed at the St. Cloud VA on May 25, 2026, with an outdoor ceremony planned for 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 96 parking lot on the west side of the VA campus. In the case of inclement weather the ceremony will be moved to the Building 8 Auditorium.
Print and share the Memorial Day flyer.
As a reminder, the St. Cloud VA Medical Center and VA Clinics in Alexandria, Brainerd and Montevideo will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026, in observance of the Memorial Day Federal Holiday.
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Care Reminders:
Urgent Care needs are provided in the St. Cloud VA Urgent Care Clinic in Bldg. 1 (available for walk-ins 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., including holidays) or at in-network community urgent care or retail clinics for eligible Veterans.
Find community urgent care or retail clinic locations at https://www.va.gov/find-locations/ or call 877-881-7618 (M-F, 7 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.).
See the Community Urgent Care Checklist on pages 5-8 of the attached Care Guide for helpful information on using the VA MISSION Act Urgent Care benefit at VA’s in-network community locations.
VISN 23 VA Health Connect is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for urgent care by phone or video call, and also offers pharmacy assistance and clinical triage, including tele-emergency care when needed. Veterans enrolled at the St. Cloud VA can call 320-252-1670 and select option 3, or dial 833-983-0492 to reach VISN 23 VA Health Connect.
Emergency Care is needed any time you think your life or health is in danger. Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 right away.
Veterans in crisis can call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, and press 1, or text to 838255.
The St. Cloud VA does not have an emergency department, acute medical care services, or after-hours outpatient services at any of our locations. The Urgent Care Clinic should not be used for emergency needs. If you need emergency care, you don’t need a VA referral or approval to go to a non-VA emergency room in your community! See the Care Guide for additional details
The Farmer's Market is coming to the Veterans Canteen
We welcomed the Farmers Market to the patio entrance of the Veterans Canteen.
Stop by the Farmers Market every Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through fall to explore a variety of locally sourced products.
Enjoy a wonderful selection that changes with the seasons and vendors, including fresh produce, baked goods, maple syrup, grass-fed beef, chicken, eggs, freeze-dried herbs, candies, local honey, handcrafted items, and more.
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Ask VA Community Care
St. Cloud VA Community Care Dept. experts will be available to answer Veteran questions about the Community Care process.
Veterans can stop by with questions & learn a few tips on using VA’s Veteran Community Care program.
Dates and locations include:
Brainerd VA Clinic
May 20, 2026, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
St. Cloud VA Medical Center, Canteen (Bldg. 95)
May 21, 2026, 10 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Montevideo VA Clinic
June 15, 2026, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Max J. Beilke VA Clinic, Alexandria,
June 30, 2026, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Closed Captioning is Available in VVC Visits
Live Caption View
During a VA Video Connect (VVC) virtual session, both hosts and guests have the ability to independently toggle live captions on or off and have access to live caption view and historical transcript view. If a user toggles live captions on, only that user will see captions. However, if one user turns it on, all users will be alerted via audio and will see the closed captions (CC) icon at the top of the session screen, but other users will not see live captions unless they also independently toggle them on.
Live caption view allows real-time captions to be displayed at the bottom of the screen when enabled. The Enable/Disable live captions button is located in the bottom toolbar. Once enabled, a CC icon will appear at the top of the session screen indicating that live caption is on, and the Enable/Disable live caption button will turn yellow. This button is white when live caption is disabled. Participants joining sessions using the iOS or Android versions of VA Video Connect should update the app to the latest version to ensure that the live caption icon displays at the top of the screen.
Live caption Enable/Disable button in the bottom toolbar with the CC indicator at the top of the screen.
Historical Transcript View
The historical transcript view is available on the left side panel when a user has live captions enabled. Historical transcript view cannot be enabled independently. Participants can view the transcription by opening the left side panel and selecting the center CC icon at the top. Users can also adjust the text size of the historical transcription by selecting the AAA button above the transcription. Note: This only affects the text size of the historical transcription, not the live caption.
Historical transcript view available in the left side panel that displays the live transcription after selecting the CC icon.
Telehealth Connects Veteran to More Than Just Care
Ronald Miller lives more than 30 miles away from the nearest U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), so it’s not surprising that telehealth has given him easier access to care and new opportunities to improve his health. But telehealth has also given the 82-year-old U.S. Air Force Veteran something he hadn’t expected: camaraderie and rapport that have extended beyond his video visits.
The biggest source of relationship building has been Ronald’s weekly group therapy sessions. He uses VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing app, to meet with other Veterans and a group counselor through Northport VAMC’s TeleMental Health program. The Veterans in the group benefit not only from the counselor’s guidance and insights but also from the time they spend talking to each other.
“The camaraderie that has developed over the last year and a half or so has been amazing,” Ronald said. “It’s given me a new avenue to meet new friends and to get insight into my fellow Veterans and what they’ve gone through.”
The sense of connection isn’t limited to his therapy group. Ronald said he also feels it when participating in VA’s virtual chair yoga sessions and in the Remote Patient Monitoring – Home Telehealth (RPM – HT) program.
Every night, Ronald takes a blood pressure reading with the monitor VA staff trained him to use, then calls in his results. As with all Veterans participating in RPM – HT, Ronald was assigned a care coordinator to monitor his health, make sure he receives the care he needs, and advise him on ways to manage his chronic conditions. When Ronald’s blood pressure gets high, the coordinator calls to check on him and offer support.
Ronald said using VA telehealth in so many ways has been very easy and beneficial for him.
“I’m putting them all together and getting good results,” he said. “These are opportunities, all of them, just for me to relax a little bit, to stay in shape mentally and physically.”
Read more details about Ronald’s telehealth journey on the Connected Care Messenger blog or VA News.
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Get moving in May!
Moving the body carries a wealth of benefits for our Whole Health, from decreased fatigue and depression to improved sleep and brain health.
Many activities which include movement can be modified for people with limited mobility due to chronic pain or injury.
An active lifestyle not only decreases the risks of long-term health problems but also improves our ability to do more things we love.
Moving our bodies regularly through complementary and integrative health therapies can naturally reduce inflammation and pain.
Ctrl + Click the link to find out more: An Introduction to Working the Body
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Metric Unit Transition
The St. Cloud VA Health Care System is transitioning to metric units for clinical measurements.
Veterans may notice their care teams using metric terms—such as kilograms for weight, centimeters for height, and degrees Celsius for temperature—during appointments and care discussions.
For convenience, care teams will continue to provide this information in the imperial system as needed, including pounds, inches/feet, and Fahrenheit.
This change supports national standards and prepares our teams for transition to the Federal Electronic Health Record.
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PACT Act Education Seminars
The PACT Act law expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, agent orange, and other toxic substances.
The education seminars are in Bldg. 4 room 180 of the St. Cloud VA Medical Center, 4801 Veterans Drive, St. Cloud, MN.
- June 2, 2026, from 11 a.m.-noon
Topics covered will be:
- What the PACT ACT is
- Research projects
- Types of toxic exposures
- Survivor benefits
- Healthcare eligibility changes
- Toxic exposure screening
- Presumptive conditions
- How to apply for benefits
- To enroll in VA Healthcare: Bring your DD214!
Space is limited, call 320-255-6340 to reserve your spot for the PACT Act Education Seminar.
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The St. Cloud VA Health Care System Presents: 2026 Summer Art Series
- Wet Felting: Tuesday, June 23, at 3 p.m.
- Collage: Thursday, June 25, at 6 p.m.
- Songwriting: Tuesday, June 30, at 6 p.m.
- Meditative Art: Thursday, July 16, at 4 p.m.
- Nature Art: Tuesday, July 28, at 3 p.m.
- Tie Dye: Thursday, August 6, at 6 p.m.
No experience necessary and all materials are provided. Space is limited. Registration deadline is one week prior to each workshop. Call Madge Scherer at 320-252-1670, ext. 7336, to register.
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Intro to Whole Health Course Offerings
Whole Health empowers and equips you to take charge of your health and well-being, and live your life to the fullest. Join an Intro to Whole Health class to learn more. The class is offered monthly in person at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center and Brainerd, Montevideo and Max J. Beilke VA Clinics and live virtual classes.
The Whole Health Theme of the Month is Moving for Your Whole Health
- Join our Tai Chi or Yoga classes, both are offered seated or standing, to improve flexibility, strength and balance.
Call Whole Health at 320-252-1670, ext. 5401, to learn more about Whole Health classes, dates and times available and to register.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Voices for Veterans Radio Show
Wednesday, June 17, 8:15-8:30 a.m.
WJON AM 1240 / FM 95.3
Quick Reference Phone List
| Main St. Cloud VA HCS Phone Number |
320-252-1670 or 800-247-1739 |
| TDD User |
320-255-6450 |
| Max J. Beilke VA Clinic, Alexandria |
320-759-2640 |
| Brainerd VA Clinic |
218-855-1115 |
| Montevideo VA Clinic |
320-269-2222 |
| Veterans Crisis Line |
988 Press 1 |
| Homeless Veterans Hotline |
877-424-3838 |
| Billing |
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| VA Care |
866-347-2352 |
| Care in the Community (non-VA Care) |
877-881-7618 |
| Caregiver Support Team |
ext. 7283 |
| Chaplain Service |
ext. 6386 |
| Center for Development and Civic Engagement |
ext. 6365 |
| Community Care Referrals |
ext. 6401 |
| Discrimination Complaints |
ext. 6304 |
| Eligibility |
ext. 6226/6340 |
| Nutrition Clinic |
ext. 6376 |
| Transition and Care Management Program |
ext. 6453 |
| Patient Advocate |
ext. 6353 |
| Pharmacy Refill Line |
855-560-1724 |
| Public Affairs Office |
ext. 6353 |
| Release of Information (Medical Records) |
ext. 6336 |
| Transportation |
ext. 7622 |
| TRICARE |
888-874-9378 |
| VA Police |
ext. 6355 |
Stay in Touch
Visit our Website: https://www.va.gov/st-cloud-health-care/
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/StCloudVAHCS
Sign up for our automated email service. Visit the St. Cloud VA Website at: https://www.va.gov/st-cloud-health-care/ and scroll down to the Get updates from VA St Cloud health care in the grey box. Click on the options you wish and enter your email address and you will be signed up to receive email updates from these four options.
You have received this message because you are subscribed to Veterans Health. Access your Subscriber Preferences to make changes to your subscription or Unsubscribe. Get this as a forward? Sign Up to receive updates from Veterans Health. Having questions or problems? Please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance.
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