Saint Louis Veterans Affairs Med Ctr - Substance Abuse Treatment Program

They offer inpatient residential, outpatient, telemedicine and detox. The practical difference is whether you sleep at home or at the center, and are 8 other centers inside 14 miles if neither suits.

They detox from opioids, alcohol, cocaine and methamphetamines, so the first stage and the treatment after it can happen in one place rather than across two trips to Saint Louis.

Saint Louis has 402 free AA meetings as well, which is not treatment but costs nothing and needs no referral.

There are 8 more within a short drive of Saint Louis, so this does not have to be the only call you make.

They offer a telemedicine option. What that covers varies, and a first appointment in Saint Louis often still has to be in person.

Depression, anxiety, trauma and attention disorders turn up constantly alongside substance use. Whether a psychiatrist sits on the team, and how often you would see one, separates programs here. Ask who to speak to if the mental health side gets worse mid program.

There is no standard course. Programs are built in fixed lengths and people move between them. The early part of any program is mostly stabilizing, and the work people picture when they think of treatment starts after that. Ask how many hours of treatment a day the length actually contains.

It is common, programs are built expecting it, and it is not a reason to wait. Where the first attempt had no medication and no aftercare, those are the two obvious things to change. Tell the program what the last attempt included, so this one can be different.