If the staff was not so racist and discriminating the place would not be so bad
About Bangor VA Clinic
If you’re a veteran and you or a family member has substance abuse issues and are out in Bangor, Maine, the Bangor VA Clinic is part of the VA Maine Healthcare System. It’s a clinic and they have medical detox and outpatient services that can provide relief for your addictions. They also have mental health care and dual diagnosis treatment.
In addition to detox, you may receive outpatient counseling, group therapy, and medication management. These meds can help with any withdrawal symptoms you’re experiencing. You’ll be supervised throughout, so there’s no need to worry about any complications. In addition, you might be able to recover with a buddy at your side. With peer support, you’ll never have to worry about being alone. The outpatient program can be done in person or online. Transportation may be available or be reimbursed if needed.
In addition to any addictions, the staff at Bangor will bang out any underlying causes, like trauma or PTSD. That way, you can find a better outlet when temptation strikes, other than pulling these triggers. And, you’ll be happier and healthier in your relationships, at work, and in life in general.
In addition to addiction services, your care coordinator can also refer you to other departments to strengthen your recovery. This can include trauma care, family conferencing, and anger management. Social services, sexual health programs, and a woman’s track are also available.
Latest Reviews
For the past six years we have been driving past the area where the Bangor VA Clinic is suppose to be. Always looking to see a sign pointing the way. Yesterday we decided to search the area to find the Clinic. We were told is was on the grounds of the old State Hospital. We found signs confusing but nothing pointing to where to VA Clinic was. We found someone who pointed down the hill and said It s down there . (We were told we drove by the sign and had to go look for ourselves. Sure enough, on the main road was what WAS a sign showing the remains of words that could have been VA Clinic but nothing else. 90% of the sign was bare metal.)We found the Clinic and went inside to take a closer look. We wandered around the Clinic for over an hour, reading the bulletin boards and other literature posted. My husband, a Disabled Vet, was walking, using a cane, and no one ever approached us to ask if we needed assistance.I can see why the this Clinic gets such poor reviews. My husband gets seen at VA Clinics in the South where one is greeted at the door and asked Can I help you with anything today? There are greeters at every clinic, ready to assist Veterans and families who enters. Shame on this VA Clinic for not having the same. This is why, being from Maine, we have never used this facility. We have heard too many horror stories.
My husband went to the VA clinic for Dental we had Dr Heather Masters. To say she is great is an understatement. Her and her assistant what's phenomenal. They answered all our questions and was very kind and gentle with my husband. I highly recommend the v a clinic dental for veterans. I'm very thankful for everything that they do.
It's 2024 why is there no guest wifi available? Waiting rooms are very poorly labeled, don't list all the offices sharing waiting rooms
Gallery
Location
Accepted Insurance
Other Forms of Payment
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.
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.
Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
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.
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.
Aftercare Support Rehab aftercare programs facilitate continuity of care for clients transitioning out of inpatient treatment. In addition to outpatient counseling, recovery education, and other forms of care, services typically include peer coaching, relapse prevention, career counseling, and 12 step program induction. Clients often continue to receive support after being discharged from formal outpatient treatment. Case managers and care teams may provide medical, mental health, and social service referrals as a part of the clients' rehab aftercare service plan.
Medically Assisted Detox Medical detox is the process of removing addictive substances from your body while under medical supervision. Quitting alcohol and drugs on your own can cause uncomfortable and even dangerous side effects. In a medically supervised detox, licensed medical professionals monitor you 24/7 to help keep you as safe and comfortable as possible. The process is highly individualized to fit your specific needs, but the medical detox generally takes 5-7 days.
Treatments
The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.
Drug rehab in Maine is the process of helping someone learn how to live without the use of substances. Professional staff provide treatment to address the various issues of addiction. Methods often involve medication, counseling, and evidence-based therapies.
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.
A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Amenities
-
Residential 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: 258419
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: 2460
Contact Information
(877) 421-8263 
35 State Hospital Drive
Bangor, ME 04401
Get Help Now - 800-985-8516
Who Answers?
Who Answers?
Fact checked and written by:
Peter Lee, PhD
Edited by:
Anna Spooner
