Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

About Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center – Houston

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center offers primary and specialty health care services for military members, veterans, and their families. It’s located in Houston, Texas. They have a dedicated department that specializes in treating addiction and substance use. You can pay for your care through self pay, private insurance or military benefits. Financial assistance is also available, and you’ll need a referral from your primary care provider to get in.

I like that this center offers multiple ways to get help and doesn’t expect you to follow a universal path. Once they perform an assessment and learn more about you, they’ll determine which services would best suit you. This might include individual or group counseling, support groups where you recover with your peers, medication or a combination of all three.

Their services incorporate several evidence based practices to address any underlying conditions. There’s motivational interviewing and motivational enhancement therapy to help you discuss important topics related to addiction, mental health, and recovery.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

12-Step

12 step programs such as Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous are support group style programs for individuals who are experiencing alcohol or substance use disorder. At Evoke they use a holistic model of addiction care that includes using 12 step programs. These programs are an integral part of most relapse prevention plans and provide continued support and accountability that support sobriety.

24-Hour Clinical Care

24 hour clinical care provides close medical supervision for individuals in the early stages of recovery. Medical professionals monitor individuals around the clock for complications and provide immediate intervention when needed.

Aftercare Support

Completing a drug or alcohol rehab program shouldn't spell the end of substance abuse treatment. Aftercare involves making a sustainable plan for recovery, including ongoing support. This can include sober living arrangements like halfway houses, career counseling, and setting a patient up with community programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Inpatient

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) are for those who want or need a very structured treatment program but who also wish to live at home and continue with certain responsibilities (such as work or school). IOP substance abuse treatment programs vary in duration and intensity, and certain outpatient rehab centers will offer individualized treatment programs.

Intervention Services

Intervention services helps family or friends of addicts stage an intervention, which is a meeting in which loved ones share their concerns and attempt to get an addict into treatment. Professional intervention specialists can help loved ones organize, gather, and communicate with an addict. They can guide intervention participants in describing the damage the addict's behavior is causing and that outside help is necessary to address the addiction. The ideal outcome of an intervention is for the addict to go to rehab and get the help they need.

Medically Assisted Detox

Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.

Outpatient

Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.

Sober Living Homes

Sober Living Houses (SLHs), aka sober homes or halfway houses, are safe, substance-free, supportive living facilities for those recovering from substance abuse. Ideal for those who've just been through inpatient or outpatient treatment, SLHs are supervised environments with rules that support sobriety, such as curfews, shared chores, and therapeutic meetings. Residents are also often trained on life skills and coping skills to make it easier to transition into society. SLHs also provide a strong sense of community that can lead to the kind of deep and lasting connections with other sober individuals that supports a new, healthy lifestyle.

Treatments

Alcoholism Drug Addiction Mental Health and Substance Abuse Opioid Addiction

Programs

Adult Program

Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.

LGBTQ Program

Recovery is most successful when clients feel accepted and validated by their peers and treatment providers. Facilities that offer LGBTQ-inclusive programming are committed to creating a safe space where everyone can grow and recover without fear of judgment or discrimination. They will have dedicated policies in place to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters free expression.

Military Program

Serving in the military is both mentally and physically challenging, and can result in trauma that persists even after combat ends. Military programs are tailored to the specific and often complex needs of active duty personnel, veterans, and military families. Clients often access these programs through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Young Adult Program

Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.

Staff

Francisco Vazquez, MBA

Medical Center Director

Lindsey Crain, MHA, FACHE

Deputy Medical Center Director

Charlie Lan, D.O.

Chief of Staff

Julianna Cotton, DNP, RN, NE-BC

Acting Associate Director Patient Care Services

Jeremiah Jackson, MPH, FACHE

Acting Associate Director

Brent Kratky

Chief Experience Officer

About Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center – Houston

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