I called to ask about their services because I'm helping my grandfather find a good clinic for treatment for him. They were very rude and were not willing to give the information to me directly.
About Birmingham VAMC – Bessemer CBOC
Birmingham VAMC–Bessemer CBOC provides outpatient mental and behavioral health care for military personnel, veterans, and families in Bessemer, Alabama, including dedicated programming for adolescents, young adults, seniors, homeless and indigent persons, LGBTQ+ persons, and persons with co-occurring disorders. They offer telehealth care, general outpatient (OP) treatment, and aftercare planning and support. They are accredited by CARF, The Joint Commission, and SAMHSA.
Treatment at Birmingham VAMC–Bessemer CBOC includes medical and mental health assessments, drug and alcohol screenings, personalized care planning, and case management. Referrals for acute and subacute inpatient treatment are available as needed.
Clients in outpatient treatment engage in intensive individual, group, and family counseling drawing on proven modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. The program also promotes clients’ sustained sobriety through robust, recovery-focused life skills training addressing topics such as coping, self-care, wellness, and relapse prevention. An array of evidence-based complementary therapies is available, including experiential therapy.
Their aftercare services ensure a complete continuum of care aligned with clients’ evolving needs and may include 12 step program facilitation, employment and housing assistance, and referrals for additional services.
In addition to military benefits, Birmingham VAMC–Bessemer CBOC works with most major insurers to offset treatment costs, including Aetna, Cigna, Beacon, Anthem, BlueCross BlueShield, Humana, United Healthcare, and others. Out of network benefits vary. Contact your provider to confirm coverage.
Latest Reviews
The VA Bessemer Clinic staff is always efficient and respectful to my Father and we as his children. Dr. Cooley takes the time to listen from the heart and provide valuable feedback.
We relocated from another state and Bessemer VA was quick to schedule appointment for my husband as well as insure additional appointments were arranged for additional specialty clinics. We were very impressed with the provider as well as the staff. We appreciated their efficiency as well as their caring attitudes. Made this part of our relocation a relief. Additionally, every clinic we have encountered between Bessemer and Birmingham has been very positive, professional, and efficient!
They always treat me good
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Location
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.
Intervention Services Intervention services helps family or friends of addicts stage an intervention, which is a meeting in which loved ones share their concerns and attempt to get an addict into treatment. Professional intervention specialists can help loved ones organize, gather, and communicate with an addict. They can guide intervention participants in describing the damage the addict's behavior is causing and that outside help is necessary to address the addiction. The ideal outcome of an intervention is for the addict to go to rehab and get the help they need.
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.
Seniors Program
Nearly one million adults age 65 and older live with a substance use disorder. Treatment providers who specialize in senior care understand the social, psychological, and physical effects of aging and how they relate to recovery. They can help clients address particular challenges and risks they may face as they get older such as overdosing and medication interactions and dependencies.
Hearing Impaired Program
A sensory disability, such as hearing impairment, can compound the challenges of addiction recovery. Drug rehabs that are specially designed to accommodate the needs of persons with hearing impairments will include special accessibility features and accommodations to make treatment as comfortable and effective as possible. This may include access to American Sign Language interpreters.
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).
Program For Men
Men face specific challenges and concerns when seeking addiction treatment. Gender-specific recovery programs help them tackle these issues head-on in an environment that's focused, targeted, and distraction-free. It also gives them the opportunity to connect with and learn from other men who have been through a similar journey and can offer support for the next step.
Program For Women
Rehabs for women provide a safe, nurturing space for female clients to heal. These treatment programs consider the specific obstacles that women can face during recovery and place a special emphasis on mental, social, physical, and reproductive health. They explore how each woman's experience has shaped the trajectory of their substance use, addressing issues such as sexual abuse and past trauma.
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.
Fitness therapy blends exercise with psychotherapy for a fun, inspiring, and effective way of treating addiction and other issues. By incorporating movement into counseling sessions, clients become more empowered, motivated, and goal-oriented, all while strengthening their bodies and becoming more flexible. Fitness Therapy is usually used to complement a course of treatment (inpatient or outpatient) to make it even more successful. Increasing the connection between a patient’s mind and body helps both with healing as well as in creating new, healthy habits.
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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Residential Setting -
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: 61203
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: 7945
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
Contact Information
(205) 428-3495 
975 9th Avenue SW
Suite 400 at UAB West Medical Center West
Bessemer, AL 32055
Get Help Now - 800-985-8516
Who Answers?
Who Answers?
Fact checked and written by:
Terri Beth Miller, PhD
Edited by:
Quentin Blount
