Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center

About the Facility

Located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center provides mental health treatment services to military personnel and Veterans. They also provide dual diagnosis treatment. If addiction is the primary diagnosis, clients are encouraged to seek treatment at a drug rehab center.

Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center focuses on providing addiction treatment services and mental health treatment services to individuals who are stable enough to receive care on an outpatient basis. Their programming includes:

Outpatient Treatment
The outpatient program begins with an assessment to determine the needs of each client. Psychiatric care, medication review and management, mental health therapy, trauma treatment, and case management services are provided. If an individual needs a higher level of care, they may be referred to an inpatient treatment center.

Private Insurance
Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center takes VA insurance. Out of network benefits may vary, so it’s important to verify coverage with your insurance carrier prior to beginning treatment at this location or any other facility.

Accreditations

CARF

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: 227466

Joint Commission

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: 1676

SAMHSA

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

Treatment

Alcoholism

Alcoholism, also called alcohol use disorder (AUD), is defined as an impaired ability to stop or control drinking alcohol despite negative consequences. Whether the condition is mild, moderate, or severe, effective treatment is available through alcohol rehab in Alabama. Evidence-based therapies, mutual-support groups, and medications have all proven effective treatments alcohol addiction.

Drug Addiction

Drug rehab in Alabama provides medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for drug dependency. Methods of treatment often include a combination of medication, counseling, and recreational therapies.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual-diagnosis addiction treatment in Alabama is a comprehensive approach to treat co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Expert clinicians utilize evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, or dialectical behavioral therapy to address addiction and co-occurring mental health challenges. Offering various levels of care, including outpatient, inpatient, or partial hospitalization programs — dual-diagnosis treatment programs can be tailored to meet your needs.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Mental health and substance abuse treatment in Alabama usually requires attending a dual-diagnosis facility on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Therapeutic interventions within co-occurring disorder programs include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to address negative thought patterns and behaviors related to addiction, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help with emotional regulation skills, and counseling to support your mental health. Combining these therapies ensures a comprehensive approach to address both aspects of your mental health and substance abuse.

Opioid Addiction

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.

Insurance and Financial

Medicaid
Private insurance
Self-pay options
Medicare
Military insurance
Financial aid

Programs

Adult program
Elderly program
Hearing impaired program
HIV/AIDS program
LGBTQ program
Military program
Program for men
Program for women
Young adult program

Levels of Care

Outpatient

Outpatient rehab is designed primarily for clients who do not require intensive clinical supervision. This includes clients who are exiting detox or inpatient care. Outpatient treatment typically involves addiction counseling, recovery education, and life skills training. These programs encompass varying levels of care, including partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), standard outpatient (OP), and sober living/halfway house programs. Each category is defined by the frequency and intensity of treatment.

Medically Assisted Detox

Medically assisted detox is often the first step of addiction treatment. At the medical detox level of care, you are weaning your body off drugs and/or alcohol under the care of licensed medical professionals who constantly monitor your health and treat any potential withdrawal symptoms, sometimes with the aid of medication (like Suboxone or Vivitrol).

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are designed for clients in early recovery and those at an elevated risk of relapse. Clients in IOP attend outpatient therapy sessions for a minimum of nine hours per week but clients may receive as many as 20 hours of IOP treatment weekly. Sessions generally occur in 3-5 hour blocks, in which time clients engage in some combination of medication assisted treatment (MAT), psychotherapy, recovery skills training, or complementary care.

Partial Hospitalization Program

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) provides comprehensive treatment to those who do not require 24/7 monitoring and offers a higher level of care than outpatient programs. Often referred to as “day treatment” patients typically attend sessions a minimum of 20 hours weekly, allowing clients to return home each day. PHP treatment is often covered by insurance and can provide daily therapeutic sessions and services such as relapse prevention and medication management.

12-Step

12 step programs are often considered the standard model for addiction recovery. They’re based on the use of spiritual principles to support a gradual psychological, emotional, and spiritual shift to remediate the root causes of one’s addiction. Treatment depends primarily on per coaching (sponsorship) and group recovery meetings. Though rooted in spiritual principles, participants do not need to be religious and sessions are non-denominational. Specialized groups, including meetings for seniors, teens, and family members, are often available.

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).

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.

Clinical Services

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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.

Couples Therapy

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

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.

Family Therapy

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

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.

Individual Therapy

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

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.

Motivational Interviewing

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.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

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

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.

Rational Behavior Therapy

Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy meant to be short-term and comprehensive. It was intended to help clients become more self-sufficent and move forward without the need for expensive, ongoing therapy. It includes an emotional self-help method called “rational self-counseling,” the purpose of which is to give clients all the skills needed to handle future emotional issues by themselves, or with significantly less professional help.

Trauma Therapy

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.