VA Puget Sound Health Care System

About VA Puget Sound Health Care System – Tacoma, Washington

American Lake VA Medical Center is a veterans addiction treatment center located in Tacoma, Washington. They’re part of the Puget Sound Healthcare System. They offer drug and alcohol treatment options for veterans and their families who are struggling to quit on their own. Referrals are required.

The only level of care offered here is outpatient care. This can be both a positive and negative thing, depending on the severity of your addiction. Some people may require round-the-clock care and medical supervision. You won’t get that here. However, you will get the benefit of being able to return home after a day of therapy. This will give you time to keep your outside responsibilities, which is great for personal growth and adaptation. But if your symptoms are acute, they can refer you to an inpatient facility within the VA network.

This is a dual diagnosis center as well, which means they treat mental health issues that may be occurring in response to your addiction, or vice versa. Many veterans may face these issues due to trauma from their time serving in the military. Some common mental illnesses may include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia. Anger management classes may also be provided for those who seek it.

Many of these clinics also offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which can work wonders when trying to detox the safe and correct way. Some medications, like Suboxone and Vivitrol, can help lessen the intensity of cravings and can reduce potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms from occurring.

In addition to all this, they also offer health maintenance services, community support, and counseling services. Counseling is a great tool that includes individual counseling, group therapy and marriage or relationship counseling.

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Our Team

Thomas Bundt, PhD, FACHE

Executive Director

Susan Perez, BA, CISM

Deputy Executive Director

Jesse Markman, MD, MBA

Chief of Staff

Geraldine L'Heureux, MBA, MHA, BSN, RN

Associate Director of Patient Care Services

Rhonda Lewis, MSM, CPM

Associate Director

M. Connie Morantes, MD, FACP

Deputy Chief of Staff

Michelle Bird, MSN, RN, NE-BC

Deputy Associate Director of Patient Care Services

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