Horrible communication between secretaries and patients!!! They only care about freeing up beds, they don't do anything that helps your treatment be a little easier
About New Mexico VA Health Care System
New Mexico VA Health Care System Is a drug and alcohol rehab facility located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They offer treatment to veterans and their family members who are struggling with use disorder (SUD) or alcohol use disorder. They treat people with dual diagnoses who struggle with both substance use issues and mental health issues. They offer both inpatient and outpatient services.
You will have an intake appointment to see which kind of treatment would be best for you. You will have both group and individual therapy at this facility.
The individual therapy you receive will be custom to you. Many veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. If you have PTSD, your therapist may treat you with trauma-based therapy. They may also treat you with dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) which offers coping mechanisms and teaches you to accept reality and change your attitude toward your circumstances.
You will have group therapy with other veterans. Peer support is key to drug and alcohol recovery. They also offer group education classes that teach you about the effects of drugs and alcohol on your body and your ability to make decisions.
They can provide you with medically assisted treatment if you need it to aid in your recovery. They are a full service hospital with a medically trained staff.
Outpatient clients can come in once or twice a week or several times a week depending on their needs. If you cannot make it to the facility, you may be able to receive treatment over the Internet.
Latest Reviews
I have lived in several states and used different VA s. The Albuquerque VA is by far the most professional and nicest staff.
I m a democrat but after the visit to the ER I think it s definitely time to cut some of the fat off. There was almost no one in the the parking lot was completely empty it took me 2 minutes to get to the back but that s where things went wrong. The nurses were amazing but the doctors never made it to the room. I heard the nurse ask her if she looked at my chart and she said are you trying to make me work and never came to the room. I waited 30 more minutes after and hour of only the nurses asking me if I had weapons after the initial check. 1hr 43 minutes nothing .its impossible to say what the problem was but there way more nurses and doctors than normal about 10-15 and a lot of taking but no service at least not for me. It s not good when the doctor really doesn t want to be there. The VA is not the place for these type of people. I should have took a picture it was shocking how many people were just sitting there not doing anything DOGE needs to start with the hospitals. I don t want people fired that are good and doing their job but when you are a doctor there s not room for that. If I m wrong I m wrong and I ll apologize check the cameras. I got there a little after 10pm on the 6th of April.
Worst place ever. Called to get a basic question about a procedure and they transfered me 8 times to different scheduling call centers. Worst service ever received.
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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.
Sliding scale payments are based on a client's income and family size. The goal is to make treatment affordable to everyone. By taking these factors into account, addiction recovery care providers help ensure that your treatment does not become a financial burden to you or your family, eliminating one barrier to care.
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.
FreeAddiction 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.
Intensive Outpatient Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) provide robust support for clients who choose to remain in their own homes or who are reintegrating into their community following inpatient care. IOP treatment generally consists of a combination of individual, group, and family counseling, recovery-focused life skills training, and evidence-based holistic therapies. Many intensive outpatient rehabs also offer medication assisted treatment (MAT) for clients in alcohol and/or opioid recovery. Clients in IOP typically receive nine to 20 hours of treatment weekly.
Aftercare Support Rehab aftercare programs promote clients' long-term recovery by providing a robust continuum of care aligned with clients' evolving needs. Because addiction is a chronic disease prone to relapse, rehab aftercare services are highly client-focused and uniquely responsive to clients' changing medical, mental health, and social circumstances. Case managers and care teams collaborate with clients, assess their goals and needs, and provide access to recovery-focused resources, such as peer coaching, employment assistance, and relapse prevention services.
12-Step 12-step programs are addiction recovery models based on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A number of substance abuse programs (including some drug and alcohol rehab centers) use the 12 steps as a basis for treatment. Beginning steps involve admitting powerlessness over the addiction and creating a spiritual basis for recovery. Middle steps including making direct amends to those who've been hurt by the addiction, and the final step is to assist others in addiction recovery in the same way. 12-Step offshoots including Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA), Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Gamblers Anonymous (GA).
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.
Intervention Services Intervention services helps family or friends of addicts stage an intervention, which is a meeting in which loved ones share their concerns and attempt to get an addict into treatment. Professional intervention specialists can help loved ones organize, gather, and communicate with an addict. They can guide intervention participants in describing the damage the addict's behavior is causing and that outside help is necessary to address the addiction. The ideal outcome of an intervention is for the addict to go to rehab and get the help they need.
Partial Hospitalization Program Often known as "day treatment, a partial hospitalization program (PHP) offers short-term, intensive rehab during the day, allowing you to return home in the evening. PHP treatment is often part of a step-down service provided in the treatment of substance use disorders. PHP treatment provides structured programming that includes daily therapeutic services. Typically, PHP treatment sessions are 5 days a week for approximately 6-8 hours, offering intensive treatment during the day, allowing you to return home. The duration of PHP treatment varies based on your needs but averages 90 days.
24-Hour Clinical Care At certain points in the recovery process, it's important to have support available 24/7. 24-hour clinical care offers a safe environment in which to recover from drug or alcohol addiction in peace, knowing medical detox and other treatment will happen with professionals on hand.
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
The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.
Each drug rehab in New Mexico offers unique amenities and treatment methods. Common aspects of treatment include group and individual counseling, recreational therapy, medication management, and healthy living. Aftercare is often provided to prevent relapse.
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.
A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.
Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of 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.
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.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a clinical approach to helping people with substance abuse issues and other conditions shift behavior in positive ways. It is more goal-oriented than traditional psychotherapy, as MI counselors directly attempt to get clients to consider making behavioral change (rather than wait for them to come to conclusions themselves). Its primary purpose is to resolve ambivalence and help clients become able to make healthy choices freely.
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.
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.
Drug rehab in New Mexico may include a focus on nutrition therapy. This treatment involves input from your healthcare providers and a nutritionist. They will help you develop a dietary plan that supports your recovery process.
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.
Creativity is inherently healing, and can help those in recovery express thoughts or feelings they might not otherwise be able to. Creative arts therapy can include music, poetry/writing, painting, sculpting, dance, theater, sandplay, and more. Unlike traditional art, the final product matters far less than the experience of creation and expression itself.
Recreation Therapy provides a broad range of activities and programs to assist Veteran patients with learning how to best use their spare time, how to cope recreationally with injuries and how to select positive recreational activities. Many of their recreation therapy programs, such as yoga and adaptive kayaking, are conducted on their medical center campus. This includes their annual Veterans Creative Arts Festival. However, some programs, such as their annual fly fishing program and wheelchair basketball, are held off campus.
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.
Amenities
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Walking Trails
Staff & Accreditations
Staff
Breton Weintraub, MD
Executive Director
Matthew McGahran
Associate Director
Christopher Kent
Acting Assistant Director
Gurujot Khalsa, MD
Chief of Staff
Lorene Valdez-Boyle
Acting Deputy Chief of Staff
Susan Jurica, MSN, RN, CCRN
Associate Director for Patient Care Services
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: 237259
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: 2475
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1992 by congress, SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on American's communities.
SAMHSA Listed: Yes
Contact Information
(505) 265-1711 
1501 San Pedro Dr SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Get Help Now - 505-644-0154
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Fact checked and written by:
Eliza Gale
Edited by:
Courtney Myers, MS
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