About Alexandria VA Health Care System – Fort Polk CBOC – Leesville
Fort Johnson VA Clinic is located in Leesville, Louisiana. They’re part of the Alexandria VA Health Care System. They’re a community based outpatient clinic offering integrated healthcare including mental health support and substance use treatment. They offer smoke & tobacco cessation programs and specialized care for victims of PTSD.
Fort Johnson VA Clinic is committed to helping veterans and their families live a healthy life. If you or your dependent is struggling with substance use or co-occurring disorders, they can provide treatment support. They can help with both outpatient and residential care depending on your situation. You’ll first undergo a comprehensive assessment to help the team understand your needs and create a tailored plan for your recovery.
If your assessment indicates a need for high intensity treatment, they’ll refer you to a clinic within the Alexandria VA Health Care System offering residential care. This is typically for veterans with severe substance use issues. Residential care in this system also tackles homelessness, mental health and unemployment via 24/7 therapy and educational classes. For mild to moderate addictive behaviors, this location provides treatment support through both group and individual therapy. The therapy sessions help you address the underlying, emotional, psychological and social issues fueling your substance use.
You’ll learn healthier ways to handle life’s challenges and break the patterns that led you to rely on drugs or alcohol. You’ll be equipped with tools to better process trauma if that’s the trigger. Additionally, you’ll learn life skills like healthy communication, problem solving and building relationships. This encourages a sober lifestyle and relapse prevention. The frequency of the therapy is determined by your tailored care plans.
If you’re dealing with opioid use issues, your tailored care will involve medication assisted treatment. This technique uses counseling alongside FDA approved meds to deliver holistic recovery. The meds relieve cravings and eliminate painful withdrawal symptoms, while counseling deals with the psychological aspects. This research backed technique is effective at helping patients stop the illicit use of opioids, prevent relapse and ensure sustained abstinence. It’s all about helping you get your life back on track.
This clinic strives to keep costs low across the board. They achieve this by accepting Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare. This makes their healthcare services easily accessible to all veterans. As you move forward in your healing journey, they may link you to VA community resources that support lasting sobriety. This may include affordable housing, job placement and legal services.
Smoking and tobacco cessation is an important and unique service you can receive in this clinic. This addiction can be as bad as drugs and alcohol if left unattended. Research even shows this addiction is linked to depression.
If you’re been unsuccessfully struggling to quit, you don’t have to feel bad about it. Quitting can be challenging because of the emotional connection you build over time with tobacco. Also withdrawal symptoms like irritability and anxiety may occur so seeking help is the right thing to do. Fort Johnson VA Clinic can assist you in your journey to stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
You can also receive daily advice and interactive support through text with their SmokefreeVET program. This comprehensive support can help you stay motivated and build healthier habits for a smoke free future.
The clinic is situated in a rural setting along University Parkway which is accessible by local roads and offers a central location for regional visitors. Veterans driving from nearby cities like Deridder and Fort Polk can get to the clinic via US Highway 171. Its rural setting means limited public transportation options so it’ll be best to drive or use a taxi/rideshare service. The area boasts some natural attractions that are quite close to the clinic. These include Vernon Lake and Piney Woods Wildlife Management Area.
