Inpatient Rehab for Veterans

Inpatient rehab is a medically supervised form of addiction treatment that provides 24/7 care and support in a residential or hospital setting. Inpatient rehab for Veterans is specially designed to help Veterans safely manage withdrawal, stabilize their health, and begin recovery with access to medical staff, counseling, and structured therapy.

The Importance of Veterans’ Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient rehab for Veterans can provide crucial addiction treatment tailored to address the complex struggles affecting Veterans. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 1.4 million Veterans had a co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder in 2022.1

Veterans, therefore, need the highest degree of support and deserve the best holistic services available at the time of care. Many inpatient rehabs recognize this and offer Veteran-specific programming.

Understanding the Next Step

Before seeking a Veteran rehab center, it’s important to understand what inpatient rehab is, to know what therapies are offered in different settings, and to determine if inpatient rehab is the best option to address your treatment needs. If you are seeking care for someone in your life, learn more about the Veteran referral process here.

What is Inpatient Rehab?

Inpatient rehab is a type of addiction treatment that offers 24-hour. These programs are designed to provide consistent, intensive care for individuals needing medical and therapeutic support during early recovery.

The typical inpatient rehab provides medical, nursing, counseling, and other professional services to support addiction recovery therapy. Inpatient programs can offer a wide range of services, ranging from detoxification to peer support.

The Detox Process in Inpatient Rehab

During detox, when the body is clearing out substances, some people need medication management. Medical and nursing personnel will closely monitor symptoms of withdrawal during detox. Nursing staff will administer medication as needed to avoid complications and implement additional comfort measures to help ease withdrawal symptoms.

Hence, if you’re a Veteran looking for medical detox, inpatient rehab programs may offer the safest option.

Inpatient Rehab vs. Residential Treatment

Inpatient rehab programs are typically a short form of treatment, lasting only a few days to a little over a week. In contrast:

• Residential treatment lasts from several weeks to months.
• Both inpatient and residential rehab offer 24/7 support, along with structured activities.

The difference may be in the setting:

• Inpatient rehab often occurs within a clinical or hospital setting.
• Residential rehab, though sometimes used interchangeably with inpatient care within treatment centers, focuses on building a recovery community over longer treatment stays.2

The Guarantee of Confidentiality

All care that Veterans receive in an inpatient or residential setting is confidential.10 Staff members are trained to handle your medical information safely to ensure your health information remains secure at all times. All diagnoses and therapies you receive are only known to you and the treatment team.

What are Common Inpatient Rehab Therapies?

Inpatient and residential rehabs aim to help you stabilize and build a foundation for recovery. Whatever your duration in these programs, it’s essential that everyone–patient and treatment team–is engaged to maximize the benefits of care.

Care plans are tailored to meet your circumstances and are based on the severity of your medical and mental health needs. Treatment teams are often made up of addiction specialists (e.g., doctors, nurses, therapists, caseworkers) who work with you to prioritize your care.

The therapies and interventions that are commonly utilized in inpatient and residential rehab programs include:3

• Medically managed detoxification.
• Individual counseling.
• Group therapy.
• Specialty group therapy (e.g., relapse prevention, Veteran support, chronic pain, co-occurring disorders).
• Life skills.
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Are There Inpatient Programs Specialized for Veterans?

Some inpatient and residential rehabs, such as those offered by American Addiction Centers, have programs that specialize in Veteran-specific care. These programs are designed to address the unique needs of Veterans, including co-occurring mental health conditions, trauma, and reintegration challenges.

Veteran-Focused Care and Staff Training

The treatment staff in these programs are trained in best practices for treating Veterans and maintain a supportive atmosphere to build trust and acceptance. In early recovery, the focus is on understanding personal life events and how you’ve responded to them over time. Your story will help you and your treatment team develop an appropriate, safe plan for change and prepare a routine for when you go home.

Many staff members in Veteran-specific programs are Veterans themselves, have family members who served, or are specially trained in Veterans’ issues. For example, the staff at Desert Hope’s Veterans program, Salute to Recovery, have loved ones who are Veterans, or are Veterans themselves. This helps them connect to Veterans in the programs. Because of the peer-based nature of these programs, you’ll likely attend therapy with other Veterans, fostering a sense of understanding, trust, and shared experience.

Treating Co-Occurring Disorders in Veterans

Veteran addiction rehab programs may focus on treating co-occurring mental health disorders that commonly afflict combat Veterans and homeless Veterans.

Substance use is often linked to traumatic experiences that lead to lingering feelings that negatively impact mental health, such as:

• Guilt.
• Shame.
• Anger.
• Hopelessness.

Mental health disorders like PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders are important to treat alongside substance use disorders, as these are shown to be closely linked.

These integrated programs make inpatient drug rehab for Veterans and inpatient alcohol rehab for Veterans more effective by addressing both the emotional and physical aspects of addiction.

Veteran Programming at American Addiction Centers

American Addiction Centers’ Desert Hope Treatment Center and 4 sister facilities in TX, MS, FL, and CA specialize in dedicated Veteran programming and are VA Centers of Excellence. Their Salute to Recovery programs offer a unique curriculum focusing on the unique needs and experiences of military Veterans.

You can expect the following features in these specialized inpatient rehab programs for Veterans:

• Every Veteran receives a psychosocial assessment as well as a history and physical soon after admission, ensuring any comorbid conditions are identified and treated appropriately.
• Veterans meet with a therapist individually once a week, along with daily check-in sessions.
• Group sessions, up to 5 times per day, help build connection, routine, and support.

Inpatient vs Outpatient vs Residential Rehab: What’s the Difference?

Treatments occur in a variety of settings, and all are intended to help people who misuse drugs and alcohol stop seeking and using addictive substances.3 The differences between inpatient, outpatient, and residential rehabs are generally outlined by the intensity of professional services needed, housing arrangements, family obligations, and the ability to work or go to school while in rehab.

Pros and Cons of Inpatient Rehab?

There are advantages and drawbacks to receiving inpatient rehab depending on your situation. Here are some pros and cons to consider for this type of program.

Advantages of choosing inpatient rehab:⁵

• Safe, sober environment that removes you from the people, places, and things that may have triggered your substance use
• Lets you focus completely on your recovery
• Medically-assisted detoxification
• Medication management
• Medical testing for infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, and C)
• Medical treatments (e.g., wound care)
• 24-hour support (e.g., counseling, medical, nursing, peer support, psychiatry)
• Behavioral therapies (e.g., individual, group, family)
• Drug screen monitoring
• Covered by most insurances
• Approved leave of absence (e.g., may qualify for inpatient hospitalization – medical necessity status)
• May be eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act benefits from an employer

Disadvantages of choosing inpatient rehab:^{5, 6}

• Must take time off from work or school (medical leave of absence)
• Must have reliable childcare 24/7 if you’re a parent
• Inpatient length of stay may be extended
• Unable to go home during treatment
• Shared living space (may have roommates)
• Amenities may be limited (e.g., limited use/or no cell phone or computer access)
• Limited family visitation
• Cost of treatment

How Do I Know I Need Veteran’s Inpatient Treatment?

Talking with your healthcare provider is the best next step in determining if you need inpatient treatment.

The following signs and symptoms are common in people with a drug or alcohol addiction. Answering “yes” to two or more of these behaviors within a 12-month period may indicate that inpatient rehab is needed:4

• You take the substance in larger amounts over a longer period than initially intended.
• You try repeatedly to cut down or stop use without success.
• You crave the substance or have a strong desire or urge to use it.
• You spend a great deal of time seeking out, using drugs or alcohol, or recovering from the effects of drug or alcohol use..
• Your use interferes with life responsibilities at work, school, or home.
• You become less involved and isolate yourself from others to use drugs or alcohol.
• You continue to use drugs or alcohol in situations that can be physically hazardous.
• You continue to use drugs or alcohol even when you know that physical or psychological problems are likely caused or worsened by the use.
• You gained tolerance to a substance (needing more to get the same effect or the same amount no longer creates the same effect).
• You experience symptoms of withdrawal when use is stopped or drastically reduced (e.g., tremors, increased heart rate, agitation).

How Much is Inpatient Rehab for Veterans?

The cost of a Veteran’s inpatient rehab will vary depending on the length of stay, level of services needed, and the type of insurance. With the passage of the MISSION Act, Veterans now have more options to seek services from approved non-VA community care providers. This includes third-party payers (insurance carriers) like Optum and TRICARE.6

The following options are available to cover inpatient rehab costs:6

• Veterans Community Care Provider Network
• Private insurance
• State-funded rehabs
• Private pay
• Veteran scholarships
• Loans

Does the VA Cover Inpatient Rehab?

The Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System provides Veterans with medical, mental health, and substance abuse care. Services vary depending on your needs. For substance use problems, the VA offers medically managed detoxification, medication management for cravings, counseling, and other therapies, including:⁷

• Short-term outpatient counseling.
• Intensive outpatient treatment.
• Marriage and family counseling.
• Self-help groups.
• Residential (live-in) care.
• Continuing care and relapse prevention.
• Specific programs (e.g., women, combat, homeless Veterans).
• Dual diagnosis programs (co-occurring disorders).

To be eligible for VA services, apply for VA health care. After you’ve signed up, make an appointment with a VA primary care provider and talk to them about your substance use. The VA provider can complete the necessary assessments and initiate a referral to get you the services you need.⁷

Where Can I Find Veteran & VA Inpatient Rehab Centers Near Me?

Veterans can receive inpatient rehab through the expanded Community Care Network (CCN) program. CCN helps deliver timely, affordable care that is closer to home when the VA cannot provide the level of care needed.⁸ Check with your VA healthcare provider and see what inpatient rehabs are near you. If you receive care from a non-VA provider, make sure you have a referral from the VA first to help cover the cost.⁸

How to Choose the Best Inpatient Rehab for Veterans?

When choosing the best inpatient rehab for you, consider the following:

• The right level of care for your specific needs (e.g., inpatient, residential, outpatient).
• Accepts my insurance (e.g., VA coverage).
• Veteran-specific treatment track.
• Specialty groups (e.g., Veterans).
• Co-occurring disorder treatment (e.g., PTSD, depression, anxiety).

Think about the things that are most important to you and then talk to your health care provider, who can provide feedback and guide you in making the right choice.

Do Inpatient Rehab Centers Treat Mental Health Disorders?

Most inpatient rehab centers treat mental health disorders to some degree. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), depression is one of the most common mental health disorders among Veterans, followed by PTSD. At some point in their life, 7 out of 11 Veterans will struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, especially those who have been in combat.9

If you have specific mental health needs, ask the provider you’re considering if their rehab program has targeted services to treat co-occurring disorders. This may include medication management and stabilization on existing treatment plans. Inpatient rehabs—like Desert Hope and our other AAC facilities—that address both substance use and mental health conditions at the same time have the best outcomes for sustained recovery.