Sponsored Helpline
800-784-1361
America’s military veterans are eligible for healthcare benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA. They received an important upgrade to their service options in 2018 when a bill was passed to improve veterans’ access to healthcare services outside the VA, including rehab for veterans.
What Is the Mission Act for Veterans?
The VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act, or VA Mission Act, for short, gave veterans the right to receive care from non-VA community healthcare providers, including providers of substance abuse treatment, when certain conditions are met.
Prior to the Mission Act, veterans could only receive free medical and mental health care at a VA facility. But since not all services are available at every VA facility, veterans sometimes had to travel long distances to access the care they needed.
With the Mission Act, veterans can access providers within their local community. This eliminates excessive travel time and delays in treatment. Veterans can also connect to local providers for specialized treatments, such as addictions, using their VA benefits instead of private insurance.
The Mission Act also expanded access to telehealth for veterans, including across state lines.
Veterans Community Care Program
Improved healthcare services for veterans made available through the Mission Act are implemented through a program called the Veterans Community Care Program. This program initiates non-VA-provided healthcare services and connects veterans to community network providers and services.
Eligibility for the Community Care Program is determined by VA staff, so a veteran must first visit a VA center and speak with staff members to get a referral. Veterans are eligible for Community Care Program services if they meet certain qualifications.
For instance, the service needed is not available from the VA facility nearest to you or you live in a state or territory that lacks a VA center. If there’s a VA center, it might be too far away, such as more than a 30-minute drive for primary care or a 60-minute drive for specialty care. Likewise, the nearby VA might not meet access or quality standards.
Once eligibility is established, a VA center staff member identifies a Community Care Program network provider in the veteran’s geographic area and sets up the initial appointment with them. All Community Care Program providers must be approved VA network affiliates who accept VA health insurance.
How the VA Mission Act Improves Access to Rehab for Veterans
When care for a substance use disorder is needed and isn’t available at a local VA medical center facility, a veteran seeking treatment can get a referral from their VA medical center for treatment by a local Community Care Program provider instead.
Rehab for veterans will be covered by VA insurance as long as the client meets eligibility requirements and the care provider is a VA-approved facility.
The local community provider delivers the appropriate care to the veteran and bills the VA for services. There may be a copay required for this service, just like any other medical and mental health services covered by VA insurance.
Copays depend on the veteran’s disability rating, income, and other factors. It’s important for patients to discuss possible copay requirements with the Community Care Program provider before receiving services.
The Mission Act may cover substance use disorder services that involve medical detox, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), inpatient and outpatient treatment, and partial hospitalization programs (PHP).
During the initial consultation with a VA staff member, these types of treatment are evaluated and discussed to determine the care best suited to meet your needs.
Additional FAQs about the Mission Act
The Mission Act was signed into law on June 6, 2018. The Veterans Administration began offering the new healthcare options provided by the Mission Act in June 2019.
Yes. The Mission Act established a network of VA-authorized community urgent care providers to serve veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system and are eligible for the Community Care Program. Veterans can access urgent care services from in-network providers without referrals. Locate these providers by visiting the VA’s Provider Locater.
Types of services offered at VA in-network urgent care centers includediagnosis and care for minor illnesses and injuries, use of necessary medications, blood tests and x-rays. You’ll need to bring both a government-issued ID and a VA urgent care billing information card with you to the urgent care center.
To qualify for addiction treatment using the VA Community Care Program, you need to be a veteran and eligible for VA healthcare benefits. Double check if you’re not sure if you’re currently enrolled in the VA healthcare program. You can apply by phone, by mail, or in-person at a VA medical center near you. Applications are processed within one week.
Once accepted into the VA healthcare program, call their general information hotline at 800-827-1000 or visit a local center to begin accessing services through a VA primary care provider. If you’re already eligible for VA healthcare benefits, make an appointment with your primary care provider at your local VA center. Your primary care provider can make referrals for substance abuse services.
Outpatient rehab for veterans can take place at an in-network community provider. If treatment isn’t normally covered by the VA, the VA can bill your secondary insurance, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. When initiating contact with a Community Care network provider, always ask about the possibility of secondary insurance coverage or co-pays that may apply.
Mission Act Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery Services
According to a 2023 report from the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 7% of military veterans have issues with illegal drug use and 7% of veterans have a serious mental illness. Co-occurring conditions of mental illness and drug abuse together are common. The Mission Act facilitates available care to treat mental illness, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders.
Co-occurring mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders, are treated by a variety of psychological techniques that may include counseling in groups, solo or with family members.
You can learn to control your emotions and connect with others in 12-step programs. Specialized services like expressive arts therapies may be available.
The need for addiction rehab services is evaluated by a veteran’s primary care provider for recommendations concerning the type of treatment and facility. Types of addiction rehabs that may be accessible through the Mission Act include the following.
Detox often involves the use of FDA-approved medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms and prevent complications when drug use is stopped. Detox can take place in both inpatient and outpatient settings depending on the patient’s needs.
Inpatient treatment involves a stay at a hospital, clinic, or residential addiction treatment facility where 24/7 care and supervision are provided. Nursing care, counseling, and addiction and relapse prevention education are offered by clinical staff. Inpatient treatment is used when a highly structured, focused environment is needed.
Partial hospitalization programs involve more intense treatment than outpatient care but less than inpatient treatment. PHP rehab programs for veterans typically meet for 9-20 hours a week and provide individual and group counseling, relapse prevention workshops and may include specialized programming such as trauma counseling and life skills coaching.
Outpatient treatment doesn’t involve overnight stays. Patients attend scheduled group meetings, and sometimes receive individual counseling sessions, for a few weeks up to a few months. They provide counseling, relapse prevention education and many include 12 Step peer groups.
The type of rehab centers for veterans depends on the severity of the symptoms and is determined by a VA primary care provider.
Recent Updates to the Mission Act & Rehab for Veterans
In December 2024, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs introduced the Complete the Mission Act of 2024.
This bill strengthens the original Mission Act of 2018 and sets baseline expectations for timeliness of care, establishes access standards for residential substance abuse treatment and requires more transparency about options for addiction treatment for veterans during their assessment process.
The Complete Mission Act of 2024 also proposes a 3-year pilot program to create access to outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment through the Community Care Program without the need for prior authorization. As of April 2025, the bill is still pending.
Addiction Centers That Have Military Programs
Finding facilities near you…
