ALBANY, NY (06/11/2010)(readMedia)-- The New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs has established a Veterans Benefits Counseling office within the Harlem VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) located at 55 West 125th Street, New York, NY. The office will be staffed every Monday and Friday by State Veteran Counselor Ricardo Simmons, and will provide benefits counseling and advocacy for veterans and their families.

"We know we serve veterans and their families best in locations such as the Harlem CBOC. This is where veterans receive their health care and this is where we should be providing them with top-notch benefits counseling. Our partnership with the Harlem CBOC demonstrates a shared commitment to helping veterans and their families by offering local access to the professional counseling services available through our agency," said James McDonough Jr., Director of the New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs.

The new benefits counseling office, located at the Harlem VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic, will enable accredited State Veteran Counselor Simmons to counsel veterans and their families on all aspects of federal and state veteran's benefits, programs and services.

"We at the Harlem Community Based Outpatient Clinic appreciate that the state is bringing its resources to our office in order to assist the veterans with their benefits and we welcome them," said Keith Robinson, Nurse Practitioner Patient Services.

The Division's Harlem Benefits Counseling office is located at the Harlem VA Outpatient Clinic, 55 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027, and is staffed by Division personnel, Monday and Friday 8:30-4:30. To contact our State Veteran Counselor, please call 1-646-273-8131 or visit us on the web at www.veterans.ny.gov

Posted Friday June 11, 2010 at 06:00 am by New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs