Treatment for Depression and Anxiety

• Anti-depressant medications
• Anti-Anxiety medications
• Medications to ease sleep
• “Talk-therapies” such as
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT: This therapy helps individuals understand the connection between thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Individuals also learn new positive behaviors like relaxation techniques as well as new ways of thinking.
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT: This therapy helps individuals to overcome their struggles, emotional pain and worries. It helps them to recognize, commit to and achieve what is important to them.
  • Interpersonal Therapy or IPT: This therapy encourages better relationships and helps repair relationship problems.

Treatment for Substance Abuse

Individuals can receive treatment for abusing or being addicted to alcohol, tobacco, drugs (illegal and prescription) and other addictive behaviors.

• Medications
  • Naltrexone or Acamprosate: These are used to decrease cravings or ease the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol or drugs.
  • Buprenorphine and Methadone: These can be used as therapeutic substitutes for illegal drugs (heroin) or addictive prescription pain medication.
• Talk Therapy includes:
  • Motivational Enhancement Therapy: Helps the individual to strengthen his/her commitment to getting clean and sober.
  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy: This helps the individual to identify the alcohol/drug behavior and learn new coping skills to stay sober.
• Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs):
  • Talk therapy
  • Medications like Methadone (a carefully monitored substitute for drugs of abuse) can only be obtained at specific programs located at some VA Medical Centers. Another similar medication is Buprenorphine that can be prescribed by any physician.
• Residential Treatment programs:
• Intensive inpatient treatment program for up to 30-90 days in a structured environment. This helps the individual to achieve long term recovery.
• Work Therapies:
  • Transitional Work Experience: Offers assignments in businesses, to help Veterans function in the work environment. Helps Veterans have a better transition into the community.
  • Supported Employment: Provides support services to help Veterans get a job and keep a job. These services are provided in the community.
  • Incentive Therapy: This is a program for Veterans to gain experience by performing work at VA Medical Centers.

• Medications could be:
  • Anti-Depressants
  • Anti-Anxiety
  • Mood Stabilizing
  • Others to help insomnia
  • Talk Therapies:
    • Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): This helps individuals understand the connection between thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Individuals also learn new positive behaviors like relaxation techniques and new ways of thinking.
    • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): This involves correcting one’s negative thought pattern by writing down the traumatic experience and thinking about it differently. This helps to make their daily life free of the traumatic memories.
    • Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): This is done by confronting (or being exposed) to trauma memories in a safe treatment environment until they are less troubling. Thus, helping individuals to stop avoiding and reacting to those reminders. This helps individuals live more fully in the present with greater freedom from the past.
    • Residential Care or Mental Health Residential and Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (MH RRTP):

    This long term inpatient care is provided in a structured environment for individuals needing more intensive treatment. They provide care 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. They include:

    • Domiciliary Residential and Rehabilitation Treatment Program (DRRTP)
    • Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV)
    • Health Maintenance Domiciliary
    • Psychosocial Residential and Rehabilitation program (PRRTP)
    • PTSD Residential and Rehabilitation program (PTSD-RRTP)
    • Substance Abuse Residential and Rehabilitation program (SARRTP)
    • Compensated Work Therapy-Transitional Residence (CWT-TR)

    For more information, see http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/DCHV_Definitions_of_MHRRTPs.pdf .
    

Treatments for Severe Mental Illnesses including Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder

These disorders can occur intermittently with symptoms can getting worse some times and improving at other times. VA offers a wide range of treatments for these disorders.

• Anti-Depressant medications
• Anti-Psychotic medications including Clozapine which needs close monitoring.
• Mood Stabilizing medications
• Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Services, to promote and improve daily functioning at home and the community. These include
  • Family education programs
  • Social skills trainings
  • Education groups
  • Illness management and recovery groups
  • Wellness programs for healthy living
  • Peer support services
• Work Therapies to promote and support recovery.
• Residential Care: This is long term inpatient care for individuals who need more intensive treatment in a structured environment.
• Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM): This consists of a team of mental health providers of various specialties. They treat Veterans in their homes and communities. This program helps individuals live more successfully at home with less need for hospitalization.

Services for Women Veterans

• All Regional VA networks (VISN) have these programs.
  • Residential Treatment Programs (Inpatient)
  • Mixed Gender Residential Programs (Inpatient)
  • Sub-specialty Care such as for Women with PTSD may be limited, but can be referred to regional and national resources.

Suicide Prevention Services

• National Veterans Crisis Line:
• 1-800-273-TALK (8255) then Press 1, for Veterans Suicide Hotline. OR go to:
  http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Individualized Safety plans are created by mental health providers and Veterans in cooperation with the Veteran’s family (if desired). This helps Veterans recognize signs and symptoms early on and lists strategies to better manage their thoughts and feelings.

Services for Returning Veterans

• VA has 232 community-based Vet Centers to provide counseling and outreach services to Veterans and their families.
• Military Sexual Trauma and Bereavement counseling is also available.
• All these services are provided free of cost to the Veteran and family.

Military Sexual Trauma services:

• Services and Counseling is provided to both female and male Veterans of all service eras.
• Special Inpatient, Outpatient and Residential Treatment Programs are available to all Veterans.
• Services are provided without any Copayments from Veterans.

Services for Homeless Veterans:

• Drop-in centers for Veterans to shower, have meals, and get help finding a job or getting back into society.
• Outreach for Veterans who otherwise will not seek help.
• Emergency shelter referral for temporary housing within 3 days.
• Transitional housing in community-based programs.
• Referral to permanent housing through rental assistance vouchers with individual case management.
• Long term assistance, case management, and rehabilitation available.
• Medical treatments for both physical and mental health available.
• Residential Treatments available.
• Employment assistance available.
• For all services call 1-877-4AID VET (877-424-3838)
• OR go to http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/NationalCallCenter.asp

Services for Veterans involved with Criminal Justice system:

• Mental health assessments, allow for community based alternatives to jail or prison for non-violent crimes.
• Assistance with All VA services after release from state or federal prison.

Services for Older Veterans:

• VA Community Living Care Centers (CLCs): Provide temporary assisted care, until Veterans return home or transfer to a nursing home placement.
• Home Based Primary care: Treating Veterans in their homes. The medical team includes mental health providers.
• Provide assessments to help Veterans decide if they can live safely at home and make informed medical decisions.