Great service and great staff. I've visited other VA clinics all over the nation and they always leave something to be desired. This is the best one I've found and always to recommend it whenever I can.
About Minneapolis VA Health Care System – Northwest Metro CBOC
Northwest Metro VA Clinic provides confidential and integrated outpatient services for veterans and their families in Ramsey, Minnesota. They offer mental health care encompassing substance use recovery, co-occurring disorders and treatment for common psychiatric conditions. They also provide complementing therapy to promote general wellness of the mind, body and spirit. You can access recovery social support here too, as well as nutritional counseling and pharmaceutical care. Their broader offering is quite expansive and includes primary medical care, dental and vision care and support for cancer patients.
Convenient and Accessible Addiction Treatment North of Minneapolis
We particularly like that most of their services incorporate telehealth. This lets you get a checkup and receive treatment from the comfort of your home via a secured video conferencing platform. It eases transportation burden particularly for veterans from remote areas and optimizes convenience in health care access. The clinic keeps care affordable by accepting Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare alongside several commercial insurances in addition to your VA benefits.
Northwest Metro VA Clinic is situated along Veterans Drive in the suburban city of Ramsey within Anoka County. The popular Mississippi River Regional Trail is just five minutes from here.
Addiction Recovery With Telehealth Support and Same-Day Help
The Northwest Metro VA Clinic can help you overcome unhealthy alcohol and drug dependence and live a healthy lifestyle. They can also help you navigate co-occurring conditions if you’re dealing with both mental health and substance use issues at the same time. They offer same day help which lets you access care immediately without delay.
Their tailored outpatient care focuses on helping veterans reclaim their honor and dignity in lasting addiction recovery. Services include consultation and clinical evaluation to identify recovery needs and enable tailored care planning. Your tailored care may also incorporate medication assisted treatment if you’re dealing with opioid or alcohol addiction.
Complementing Care and Recovery Support for Lasting Healing
Northwest Metro VA Clinic offers various complementary services that foster holistic healing and the general wellbeing of veterans. These wellness services may also be part of their whole health care. It encompasses integrative approaches like meditation and mindfulness, yoga and nutrition therapy. It may also include acupuncture, wellness coaching, tai chi and qigong classes and art therapy among many others.
These programs empower you to take charge of your health, wellbeing and quality of life. Social workers can connect you to VA community services that support sustained recovery as you move forward. This ranges from help with finances or affordable housing to employment and educational assistance and legal support as needed. These are part of their social work programs.
Latest Reviews
I have had a pretty good time getting things done here . The staff is always friendly, and it moves right along . Emessages
The staff at this clinic is about as useless as they come. Reception is really nice though. Outside of them, it s a place that will give you headaches and stress. I had a PCP leave and since then, I don t get appropriate care here. These health care providers try to deny you access to have lab tests done, losing blood vials that have been drawn from a person. I don t understand why they are allowed to harm patients by not providing proper health care services. It s your job. Some of these people need to find different occupations. Get it together !!
Checked in 15 mins early to my appointment. After waiting 90 minutes past my appointment time I finally got seen & they said we forgot you were here after me going up to the front desk to speak with the desk lady they still said this. Pathetic & I won t be back to this clinic. I ll go out of my way to not go here. Ramsey, MN VA clinic. Do better.
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7.6 / 10
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Other Forms of Payment
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Life skills trainings involve all the skills a person must have in order to function successfully in the world. These include time management, career guidance, money management, and effective communication. Truly successful addiction recovery is based on the ability to not only live substance-free, but to thrive. Life skills teaches the practical necessities of functioning in society, which sets clients up for success in life, and therefore sobriety.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking. It uses products that supply low doses of nicotine to help people stop smoking. The goal of therapy is to cut down on cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.
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.
Amenities
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Private Setting
Staff & Accreditations
Staff
Patrick J. Kelly, FACHE
Director
Dr. Michael T. Armstrong, MD
Chief of Staff
Teresa Tungseth, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Associate Director for Patient Care Services & Nurse Executive
Sue Ricker, LICSW, FACHE
Acting Associate Director
Amy Archer, MSW, LICSW
Associate Director & Chief Experience Officer
Accreditations
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: 4739
Contact Information
(612) 467-1100 
7545 Veterans Drive
Ramsey, MN 55303
Get Help Now - 612-895-3267
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Fact checked and written by:
Chika Uchendu
Edited by:
Nikki Wisher, BA
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