A temporary daycare service provided at VA medical centers is scheduled to close at the end of the year. But Western New York Congressman Brian Higgins is co-sponsoring a bill to keep the program open permanently. The Kids Korner Waiting Room serves hundreds of are families at the VA facility on Bailey Avenue in Buffalo.
Higgins appeared late Monday morning at the Buffalo's VA to announce his efforts to keep the program operating.
"For many veterans, including a growing number of women service members and grandparent caregivers, child care accommodations impact their availability and the ability to keep appointments. We owe it to our veterans to remove the barriers to care," said Congressman Higgins.
The Kids Korner started as a pilot program in 2011. It initially was set to expire in the fall of 2013, however, Higgins fought to continue the program, asking congressional appropriators into the Fiscal Year 2014. Then last year, Higgins once again advocated to prevent the program for shutting down in 2014.
Congress has approved legislation that keeps it operating until the end of 2015. But now Higgins and Congressman Steve Israel are seeking a bill to provide permanent solution to giving VA Medical Centers the authority to keep the daycare programs operational.
Marine Corps Veteran Matejka Baumgardner takes her twin boys to the daycare service while visiting Buffalo's VA.
"I definitely use the Kids Korner with my twins when I do have my appointments here," noted Baumgardner.
VA director Brian Stiller said the daycare service allows veterans to bring their children or grand children to the daycare program while receiving VA services.
"It covers all the generations," said Stiller. "We're trying to keep it going."
Stiller said it cost just under $200,000 a year to operate the program. The local VA daycare center has serves about four-thousand local children.
