VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System – HJ Heinz Campus

In Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, you’ll find H. John Heinz III Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This clinic treats veterans, both men and women of all ages who are attempting to recover from drug and alcohol addictions. This includes cases of dual diagnosis and co-occurring conditions.

In the veteran community, mental illness can be prominent due to trauma that is caused by time spent in the armed forces. Some conditions that are treated include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and shizophrenia.

The level of care offered at this clinic is limited to outpatient care. Outpatient care is good for those with milder forms of addiction who can still function well in the outside world and perform their daily tasks while sober.

Many of these clinics also offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This is something that is very beneficial if they assess that your addiction is severe enough that it requires medication for safe detox. Medications like Suboxone and Vivitrol can help reduce the intensity of cravings and minimize any bad withdrawal symptoms.

Something I really liked about what they offer is their recreational and arts therapies. They have dance movement therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, and recreation therapy, which includes adaptive sports.

They also offer more standard, yet extremely effective, counseling options, This may include individual therapy, group therapy, and marriage or relationship counseling. The benefits of these are that you’ll learn how to identify triggers that may be causing you or tempting you to relapse, as well as learn coping skills and deal with the trauma from your past.