Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center

About Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center – Temple

Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center is part of the VA Central Texas Healthcare System. This outpatient facility is located off Veteran Memorial Drive in Temple, Texas. Veterans and their families in this area and nearby communities can benefit from their affordable primary care and specialty health services. This includes mental health care, homeless veterans care and social support services. Referrals may be required.

Their mental health care helps veterans overcome common conditions like depression, anxiety and addictive disorders or substance misuse. They may also tackle dual diagnosis. This is when someone is simultaneously dealing with both substance misuse and mental health issues. These conditions often arise from the unique pressures and demands of military life.

This facility equips you with tools that promote lasting recovery so that you can build a healthy future. They offer confidential and personalized outpatient treatment that delivers the best recovery outcomes. Services include consultation, evaluation, and group and individual therapy.

The therapeutic intervention is trauma informed and may incorporate various clinically proven techniques depending on your symptoms. The goal is to help you tackle the underlying negative emotions driving your behavioral challenges and build strong coping skills. This is vital in preventing relapse and maintaining sober living. They even offer specialized PTSD care that involves assessment, individual counseling, group therapy and medication. This program also involves treatment for addictive disorders.

This facility also focuses on inclusiveness. They offer minority veteran care to support minority veterans and streamline access to healthcare services. They even provide LGBTQ+ veterans care to promote the health, welfare and dignity of these community members. The service includes hormone therapy, substance use treatment and HIV/STI testing and treatment. These services are delivered in safe, welcoming and affirmative environments. I especially like their safe and secure telehealth health support. Accessing therapy from the comfort of your home is incredibly convenient.

Their homeless veteran’s care can be a lifesaver if you’re homeless or at risk of losing your home. It doesn’t matter if that’s due to addiction and mental issues, financial hardship or unemployment. With this program you can receive transitional or permanent housing, job training and life skills education. They also offer financial support, addiction/mental health treatment, peer support and case management. More community recovery support services can be accessed through their social work.

These services have flexible payment options. They accept Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE. You can also fund your treatment through VA financial hardship assistance. That’s if you’re uninsured and having financial difficulties. You may even receive transportation support to and from your appointment if eligible. This further cuts down costs. The facility offers same-day help and walk-in express care for emergencies. You may even qualify for care if you’re not enrolled in VA health care.

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.

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.

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.

Partial Hospitalization Program

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a short-term form of intensive rehab, usually for those with acute symptoms that are hard to manage but don’t require 24-hour care. PHPs have structured programming (i.e. individual and/or group therapy), and usually meet 3-5 days a week for around 6 hours (i.e. 9am-3m). Some PHPs are residential (patients sleep on site) and some are not, so patients sleep at home. PHPs can last from 1-6 months, and some offer transportation and meals.

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

Olawale O. Fashina, MD, MHSA, CPE

Acting Executive Director

Kalpana Mehta, MBA, FACHE

Deputy Executive Director

Andrew T. Garcia, MHA

Associate Director

Catherine Davis, MSN, APRN, NEA-BC, CENP

Associate Director for Patient Care Services

Solomon Williams, MD

Deputy Chief of Staff

Accreditations

About Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center – Temple

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