The VA Central Iowa Health Care System based in Des Moines is being considered for one of five potential construction projects that are part of federal legislation enacted in 2016. 

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced Friday that three possible projects, among them an expanded outpatient brain-injury rehabilitation center, could be funded through the CHIP IN for Vets Act. The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System was selected for the first project, construction of an ambulatory care center.

The three potential projects for Des Moines are: 

– Construction of an outpatient rehabilitation and ancillary services clinic, to include multiple services such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, polytrauma and other rehabilitation services. 

– Renovation and expansion of outpatient and mental health domiciliary space, to include recovery classroom centers and more private spaces for residents. The center does not currently have private rooms for all patients or adequate classrooms to facilitate needed programming for this population. The expansion would create a new unit to serve female veterans. 

– Construction of an outdoor safe space for inpatient acute mental health patients, in addition to construction of a sleep lab. 

An information meeting to discuss the CHIP IN Act and the application process for the three projects will be held Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium (Building 4, Level 2) at the main campus, located at 3600 30th St. Veterans, the public and all potential partners are invited.