FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 13, 2026

                                                                                            

Bakersfield VA Clinic moves to larger, modern facility at 900 Old River Road on December 7

 

LOS ANGELES – The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) announced today that the Bakersfield VA Clinic will open Monday, December 7, 2026, at a brand new leased facility that will provide better care and services for local Veterans.

The new clinic at 900 Old River Road in Bakersfield is a much-needed upgrade for area Veterans, as the existing clinic was plagued with problems for years that prevented Veterans from getting the care they earned. The old clinic faced recurring HVAC and plumbing problems and didn’t have the space needed to meet the needs of today’s patients, including the growing population of women Veterans.

The old clinic was also a poor use of VA resources, as the lease agreement escalated VA’s monthly rent payments far beyond market rates for the last several years. In contrast, VA will save several million dollars per year by renting out the new clinic that it can use to serve Veterans instead of paying jacked-up rental rates.

Starting December 7, Veterans will have access to a modern, 30,000-square-foot facility that has more exam rooms and a full slate of care options, including primary care, audiology and speech pathology, mental health, homeless services, dental, eye care, enrollment and eligibility, laboratory services, nutrition and food services, physical medicine and rehabilitation, telehealth, and women's health.

Veterans at the current clinic in Bakersfield will receive uninterrupted care and be able to keep their current providers when the new clinic opens – only the address will change. The new clinic on Old River Road is also more convenient to public transportation and features more parking for Veterans and family members.

“VA was wasting millions of dollars each year to maintain a clinic that wasn’t serving Veterans well,” said Timothy Graham, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Medical Center Director. “The new clinic puts Veterans first by giving them the modern facility and space they deserve.”

The new facility at Bakersfield is one of several steps VA is taking to improve service to Veterans across the county.  Since Jan. 20, 2025, VA has:

• Opened 43 new VA healthcare facilities since 2025, expanding healthcare access for Veterans around the country.
• Completed a record high 82,083,918 direct care appointments in fiscal year 2025, up 4.1% from FY 2024.
• Completed a record high 59,989,662 community care appointments in FY 2025, up 12% from FY 2024.
• Offered Veterans more than 3.4 million appointments outside of normal operating hours, giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.

Media contact: VAGLAHS Office of Public Affairs, 310-268-3340, VHAGLAPublicAffairs@va.gov

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