Scheduling appointments was a little difficult at first, but now it is easier. The waiting times are average, and the service could be a lot better. I appreciate what the workers are trying to do, but they still have many things to improve.
About Ralph H. Johnson VAMC – Myrtle Beach Clinic
The Ralph H. Johnson VAMC Myrtle Beach Clinic is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This clinic operates under the VA Charleston Healthcare System and provides comprehensive care to veterans and their families.
This is an outpatient clinic that offers services including primary healthcare, mental health care and geriatric services. There’s also radiology imaging available here. If you’re struggling with a drug, alcohol, or substance abuse disorder, you can turn to this clinic to begin your journey to recovery.
Along with VA benefits, they accept policies from most major insurance providers.
Addiction Recovery Through Primary Care
Their primary care department is often the first step recovering individuals take to start working on their addiction recovery journey. You’ll undergo an evaluation and assessment, which will help guide the creation of an individualized treatment plan.
Depending on your circumstances, you’ll likely get referred to the on site mental health department where you’ll begin working through counseling, therapy, and other specialized services that address your addiction.
As a mental health department, the team here can also help you uncover and work through underlying coexisting mental health conditions. This may include depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other emotional health issues including those that were brought on or exacerbated by your time in service.
Accessible Care for Veterans
As with many VA clinics, the Myrtle Beach Clinic is known for providing accessible care no matter who you are or where you’re at in your recovery journey. Their primary care clinic has an overall high approval rating among past clients as 83% of clients say it was easy for them to get an appointment quickly for routine needs.
You can walk in or schedule your appointment ahead of time. If you’re receiving care through their mental health department, a referral is needed, but you can get that referral through the primary care department.
Referrals for More Intensive Support
Another benefit of seeking care here at the Myrtle Beach Clinic is that you’ll have access to more robust services like inpatient care or medication assisted treatment if you need it. The VA Healthcare System does a great job referring you to more intensive, evidence backed services at their other facilities.
Latest Reviews
I understand everyone's issue but folks you really need to be more thankful for the medical personnel that did show up to care for us. People aren't perfect let's remember that. Be blessed everyone!
My husband has been on pain med for over 18 yrs. The dose has never been increased or changed in any way. He takes his med as prescribed. He takes 1 pill every 6 hrs. The prescription was written originally by a MD at a pain clinic after injections failed to help the pain. He decided to go to this VA to continue his current meds as to we moved to SC. The next thing we know the Dr doesn t want my husband to continue on his pain meds. He did eventually write a script for it, but it took 4 days to get it. In the meantime my husband started getting sick because he had no pills. He s been on this med for 18 years! Never missed a day. Im sure the VA Dr realized my husband would become Sick from lack of the med. The script was sent to the VA pharmacy and had to be mailed to my husband. It took days, and my husband ended up sick! This happened 2 times within a 20 day period. He met with pain clinic Dr at VA. She basically did the same thing to him. Once again he is out of med for 2 days now and is sick. Not to mention in pain. He is dependent on his medication and nothing was done to help him. I feel my husband was treated poorly. It s not right knowing he would get sick and offering nothing, not even advice, to help him stay well until med arrived.
Reviewed on 03/06/2019
Scheduling appointments was a little difficult at first, but now it is easier. The waiting times are average, and the service could be a lot better. I appreciate what the workers are trying to do, but they still have many things to improve.
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6.3 / 10
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Accepted Insurance
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.
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
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: 247732
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: 6587
Contact Information
(843) 477-0177 
1800 Airpark Drive
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577-1412
Get Help Now - 803-575-2354
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Fact checked and written by:
Nadia El-Yaouti, M. Ed.
Edited by:
Nikki Wisher, BA
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