VA Northwest Health Network

About VA Northwest Health Network – Vancouver

The Vancouver VA Medical Center is a comprehensive medical center within the VA Northwest Health Network. This location is in Vancouver, Washington, in the Rose Village neighborhood and just off I-5. They have numerous healthcare services and specialties for veterans and their families, including addiction recovery.

The VA has an extensive treatment program for drug and alcohol addiction and this campus has every level of care you could need. They can help you detox and get you started on your recovery. They have residential rehab as well as intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and outpatient therapy.

People with addiction need different levels of care at different stages of recovery. Thanks to this facility’s full continuum of care you can get your treatment from the same campus at each stage along the way.

One aspect of this facility that I found especially impressive is a facility on campus called Fisher House. Fisher House has accommodations for families whose loved ones are inpatient at the hospital but it also has a residential rehab program for drug and alcohol addiction. You’ll have 24 hour support during your program which typically combines medications with counseling and group therapy and addiction education.

They treat co-occurring mental health conditions too and they have a special program as well for veterans who have substance use disorder and are experiencing homelessness. Since it’s all within the VA system, they can coordinate your addiction and mental health care with primary care and specialists.

The client feedback for this VA center’s addiction treatment and particularly for Fisher House is excellent. Clients called this home a sanctuary where they felt safe and could focus on their recovery. Clients and their families alike said that this program was effective and gave them an opportunity to live a healthier and fulfilled life after addiction.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

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).

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.

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.

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

Jaime Areizaga-Soto

Chairman of the BOD of Veterans’ Appeals

Tanya Bradsher

VA Deputy Secretary

Kurt DelBene

Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology and Chief Information Officer

Dr. Shereef Elnahal

Under Secretary for Health

About VA Northwest Health Network – Vancouver

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