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Substance Abuse and Treatment Program (SATP)
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Program Mission
To provide high quality, timely biopsychosocial assessment and treatment to patients with psychoactive substance use disorders using both VA and community resources to create a cost effective continuum of basic care which results in satisfied customers.
Eligibility
Male and female veterans who received Honorable Military Discharges or General Discharges Under Honorable Conditions, subject to minimum duty requirements when applicable.
Type of Patient
Veterans who voluntarily request treatment for significant and persistent problems related to the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Substance abusing veterans with additional psychiatric disorders are acceptable provided they meet SATP criteria. Veterans in need of detoxification are usually referred to community detox centers depending on the acuteness of the condition. The admitting physician on duty in the admitting office, or the primary physician, will determine the need for admission to an inpatient service.
Application Process
There are several ways in which a veteran can apply to SATP. Veterans who are either hospitalized or being treated as an outpatient at this medical center can be referred for an assessment/evaluation by the attending or primary care physician. Veterans who are not hospitalized at this medical center may apply for admission through triage in the Admitting Office (A/O) or by calling SATP directly and requesting an evaluation appointment. Additionally, veterans seen at the Fort Myers VA Outpatient Clinic may be referred by their attending or primary care provider, or by the social worker. The Fort Myers staff making the referral contacts the SATP clerical staff to schedule the veteran's appointment here. All evaluations require a face-to-face interview.
Program Organization
The SATP is a specialized section of the Mental Health Strategic Health Group. The SATP provides ambulatory care services to eligible substance abusing veterans. Because the SATP is designed to provide levels of care that match sets of patient needs, it is helpful to organize SATP components along an intensity of care continuum:
- Level I
Orientation provides supportive counseling, case management, problem-specific evaluations, and treatment preparation to patients who are accepted to begin intensive outpatient with and without residential support, core outpatient, and continuing care.
- Level II
Continuing Care provides individual, group, and couples treatment to patients who have completed intensive and core outpatient treatment.
- Level III
Core Outpatient provides highly structured, sequential 14-16 week group treatment to patients who have sufficient biopsychosocial resources to function in the community while receiving outpatient care.
- Level IV
Intensive Outpatient without Residential Support provides highly structured sequential treatment of approximately 20 days to patients who have experienced many problems similar to Level V patients, but who currently have clinical reasons and appropriate resources which allow them to live in the community during treatment.
- Level V
Intensive Outpatient with Residential Support provides a supportive residential environment with around the clock nursing staff coverage in addition to the same treatment context as Level IV.
Specialty areas are designed to address particular problem areas/disorders or patients with specific treatment needs. The specialty areas are provided on an ambulatory care basis and include contract halfway house continuing care, childhood and/or military non-combat trauma counseling, and domestic violence intervention (certified by the State of Florida).
Treatment Approach
Treatment is based on a psychological model of relapse proneness and prevention. Treatment focus on (1) identifying each patient's high risk relapse environments; (2) discovering long-standing maladaptive and ineffective patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving; (3) developing a menu of effective coping skills; and (4) integrating awareness of personality characteristics with the application of effective intra- and inter-personal coping skills to manage high risk relapse environments.
The SATP is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
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