About Balcones Heights VA Clinic
Balcones Heights VA Clinic is an outpatient facility in San Antonio, Texas. They provide primary care and specialty health services such as mental health care, telehealth and social support. Their mental health care helps veterans overcome common psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety and PTSD. It also includes programming for veterans dealing with addictive behavior/substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions. These services are very affordable and they have flexible payment options including Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE.
You can also fund your treatment through VA financial hardship assistance if you’re uninsured and having financial difficulties.
The facility provides counseling support and equips veterans with the tools to tackle this condition and live a healthy life. They prioritize confidential and individualized outpatient treatment that focuses on meeting your unique needs. Services include consultation, evaluation and individual and group therapy. The therapy group may be based on clinically proven practices like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) that promote emotional regulation.
The goal is to help you address negative emotions or behavioral patterns that trigger behavioral challenges and develop solid coping strategies against such triggers. You may be taught anger and stress management, effective communication, internal conflict resolution and problem-solving. These essential life skills prevent relapse and help you stay sober. The program may also include medication management if necessary to support those with co-occurring disorders.
This facility boasts many commendable features. They support same-day appointments and walk-in express care for emergency health issues. Their comprehensive and secured telehealth support also enhances accessibility. This encompasses video conferencing and home telehealth services.
They even provide secure store-and-forward telehealth that lets you securely send or receive health information to and from VA facilities. Accessing care from the comfort of your home optimizes convenience. You may even qualify for care without enrolling in VA health care.
Their social support services are also highly beneficial. Through their social workers, you can be connected to community resources like housing, employment support and financial aid. This can make for incredible recovery support after receiving treatment from the facility.
You may even get help with transportation to and from your appointment if eligible. This can further save costs.
Payment Options
- Private Insurance
- Self-pay options
- Financial aid
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Military Insurance
Levels of Care
Outpatient
The VA Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) is an outpatient transitional learning center designed to support recovery and integration into meaningful self-determined community roles for Veterans with mental illness and severe functional impairment. Therapies offered include health and wellness education (including recreation therapy), stress management, management of mental illness, medication education, group therapy, sleep hygiene, nutrition education, community resources, and spiritual wellness.
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.
Aftercare
Rehab aftercare programs are based on a model of continuing care and the premise that recovery is a life-long process requiring ongoing client support. Many rehab aftercare services include outpatient care, but clients often continue to receive support after being discharged from formal treatment. Case managers and care teams typically collaborate with clients to design their long-term care plan, which may include peer coaching, career counseling, and 12 step program induction, among other services.
Medically Assisted Detox
Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.
Programs
Adult program
Program for men
Program for women
Young adult program
LGBTQ program
Military program
Settings & Amenities
- Residential setting
- Private rooms
Treatment
Dual Diagnosis
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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: 2871