Area veterans who travel to the Dallas VA Medical Center for treatment will be able receive outpatient services in Plano next year.

To help offset the volume of patients at the Dallas center and other area facilities, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced in October the location for its new community-based outpatient clinic in Plano.

The center, which will be located in vacant office space at 3804 W. 15th St. across from the Medical Center of Plano, is the result of  the effort of U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Richardson, to bring health care closer to North Texas veterans. The clinic is expected to open in May and will serve veterans in Collin and surrounding counties.

The Plano clinic is expected to provide primary care, mental health, telemedicine, laboratory and X-ray services.  The VA expects the clinic will serve nearly 6,000 veterans each year and will be staffed by at least five physicians, registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses as well as a phlebotomist, pharmacist and social workers.  The workload will be closely monitored each year to identify the need for further expansion of specialty care services, according to the VA.

Currently, Collin County veterans must travel to Bonham or Dallas for treatment.