Perfect, very attentive, prepared, professional and loving. My family and I are grateful for what they did for me. It is a very good rehabilitation center.
About Iowa City VA Health Care System
Iowa City VA Health Care System – VAMC is a comprehensive mental and behavioral health care facility for military personnel, Veterans, and families in Iowa City, Iowa. Treatment services include telehealth care, medically supervised detox, crisis intervention, inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, sober living, and aftercare.
Iowa City VA Health Care System – VAMC offers dedicated programming for adolescents, young adults, seniors, LGBTQ+ persons, and homeless and indigent persons. Treatment is also available for persons with co-occurring disorders.
Inpatient Programs
Their impatient programs allow clients to focus on their recovery in a highly structured and supportive environment. Clients receive medical and mental health assessments, personalized care planning, and comprehensive case management. They may also be prescribed FDA-approved medications to ease withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and prevent potentially serious complications. Clients engage in intensive, trauma-informed individual, group, and family counseling that draws on proven modalities, including CBT and motivational interviewing. The program promotes clients’ successful community reintegration and sustained sobriety through robust, recovery-focused life-skills training that addresses topics such as relapse prevention. An array of evidence-based complementary therapies is also available, including experiential therapy, meditation and mindfulness, and recreational therapy.
Outpatient and Aftercare Services
Their outpatient and aftercare services encompass multiple levels of care including partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP), general outpatient programs (OP), and sober living programming to align with clients’ evolving needs. Aftercare services may include step-down support, 12-Step program facilitation, employment and housing assistance, and referrals for medical, mental health, and social service programs.
Accreditation and Payment
Iowa City VA Healthcare Systems – VAMC is accredited by The Joint Commission and accepts private insurance, military insurance, Medicare, financing, and self-pay. Financial aid is available.
Latest Reviews
One of the best VAs I have been to. My spouse is a travel nurse so I have seen many. Thank you to the staff for your professionalism and dedication to us Veterans.
The care that I received was spectacular. Yet, being in the ER overnight before a bed was available was interesting. To hear the staff at the counters and the Chief of Police comments about DEI was mind blowing, upsetting, and sad. The comments and how they felt were mean, ignorant, and callus about it made my time in the ER extremely uncomfortable while I was being treated by the kind nurses. I asked questions. The response I received was nothing less than racist. I was glad that I was treated by nurses that were professional, kind, and concerned about the care of a Veteran, but to the others, a disgrace. To compare DEI to Affirmative action was truly mind blowing and ignorance. That's just part of the conversations I've heard. SMH
I have been to the VA in St Louis New Orleans all over the country of many different VA's. Iowa City and Fayetteville Arkansas are probably two of the best. I only had one bad experience at Iowa City when an asshole doctor didn't want to do his job in the ER. But everyone else there is awesome. I've received more help from Iowa City than any other hospital or VA care facility in the country. I don't live in the area anymore but I still travel over 100 mi to use Iowa city's VA. To me it's the best.
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8.3 / 10
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Other Forms of Payment
Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.
Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.
Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.
Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.
Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
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.
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.
Aftercare Support Rehab aftercare programs support clients' reintegration into their home, workplace, and community following inpatient and residential treatment. They also promote long-term recovery for clients who may no longer be receiving outpatient treatment. Rehab aftercare services encompass a wide range of modalities and often include various medical, mental health, and social service programs. Case managers and care teams develop clients' customized service plans based on the client's evolving needs and recovery goals.
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.
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.
Treatments
Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.
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.
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.
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).
Clinical Services
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Recreational therapy (aka therapeutic recreation) uses creative and fun activities to help with addiction recovery. Recreational therapists lead patients in entertaining and engaging activities like sports or games; art (drawing, painting, sculpture); drama, music, and dance; and/or community outings (field trips) to improve patients' physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.
Amenities
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Residential Setting -
Private Rooms
Staff & Accreditations
Staff
Jaime Areizaga-Soto
Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals
Margaret “Meg” Kabat
VA Chief of Staff
Edward J. Murray
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management & Deputy CFO
Michael D. Parrish, PhD
Chief Acquisition Officer & Principal Executive Director
James Albino
Director, Center for Minority Veterans
John Becker, MHA, LFACHE, FEHFI
Chief Facilities Strategy Officer
John E. Bell III
Executive Director, Loan Guaranty Service
Angela Billups, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Stephanie Birdwell
Executive Director, Office of Tribal Government Relations
Mary Bradford
Deputy Director, Center for Women Veterans
Michael D. Brennan, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Marilyn Brower
Deputy Executive Director, Office of Asset Enterprise Management
Valerie Mattison Brown, MS, MPA, FACHE
Chief Strategy Officer for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Accreditations
The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is a non-profit organization that specifically accredits rehab organizations. Founded in 1966, CARF's, mission is to help service providers like rehab facilities maintain high standards of care.
CARF Accreditation: Yes
Accreditation Number: 253674
The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.
Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes
Accreditation Number: 8267
Contact Information
(319) 338-0581 
601 US-6 W
Iowa City, IA 52246
Get Help Now - 319-214-9513
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Fact checked and written by:
Terri Beth Miller, PhD
Edited by:
Kerry Nenn, BSW
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