WASHINGTON (AP) - Missouri is getting three new community-based clinics for military veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to open clinics next year in Excelsior Springs, located in northwest Missouri, and in the Bootheel town of Sikeston. A clinic in Sedalia is scheduled to open in 2010.

In a statement Thursday, Republican Sen. Kit Bond said the clinics "will make it easier for Missouri veterans to receive the health care they need."

Community-based clinics generally serve military veterans in rural areas. They offer comprehensive primary care, routine and urgent care procedures and education.

The clinics also provide mental health services, including counseling and substance abuse treatment.

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