WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VFR Healthcare (Veteran & First Responder Healthcare), the sister company of Strive Health, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced a new partnership to enhance Veterans’ access to substance abuse and mental health services to reduce suicide.
This landmark partnership marks the first time VA has partnered with a private organization that provides intensive outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment to Veterans.
“VA has made suicide prevention its top clinical priority and is implementing a broad public health approach to reach all Veterans – including Veterans who do not, and may never, seek care within our system,” says Dr. Keita Franklin, executive director, suicide prevention, for VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. “VA is leading national efforts to understand suicide risk factors, develop evidence-based intervention strategies, and proactively identify and care for Veterans who are in crisis or at risk for suicide.”
VA’s public health approach to suicide prevention addresses the risk factors associated with suicidal behavior, such as a prior suicide attempt, stressful life events, or the availability of lethal means. This approach also promotes the protective factors that can offset risk, such as positive coping skills, feeling connected to other people, and access to mental health care.
“Mental health and substance use disorders are both risk factors for suicide. By working with VFR Healthcare, we position ourselves to treat Veterans before they reach a suicidal crisis point,” Franklin says. “There is no wrong door to treatment, whether it is with VA or another provider. Instead, our responsibility is to equip communities to help Veterans get the right care for them — whenever and wherever they need it.”
“This partnership between VA and VFR Healthcare is groundbreaking for the service members, Veterans, and their families in need of substance abuse and mental health treatment services” said Dr. Robert L. Pyles, Chief Medical Officer of VFR Healthcare and Strive Health. “By working together as partners, we can advance the understanding of substance use disorder, mental health, and suicide among Veterans and provide the critical care to Veterans and their families in need.”
This new partnership will:
- Advance and improve Veterans’ mental health and well-being.
- Expand and promote community collaboration to increase all Veterans’ access to mental health and substance abuse resources.
- Identify potential locations for VFR Clinics in regions believed to have underserved Veterans in need of substance abuse and mental health care services.
- Move forward the field of evidenced based psychotherapies research, practice, implementation, and dissemination through cross-organizational participation in conferences, summits, and meetings related to substance abuse and mental health services provided to Veterans.
“We look forward to working in partnership with VA to pursue our shared mission of enhancing substance abuse and mental health services to Veterans and their families and reducing suicides” says Eric Golnick, CEO of VFR Healthcare. “As a formal Naval Officer who suffered from PTSD and substance abuse after my separation from the Navy, I am acutely aware of the importance of advancing and improving Veterans’ mental health and well-being and expanding community collaboration. We are here to be “force multipliers” for the Veterans Administration, and to complement their services in areas that need immediate attention.”
All Strive centers proudly serve VFR Healthcare and offer a wide range of confidential, trauma-informed outpatient treatment programs designed specifically for veterans, first responders, and their families suffering from Substance Use Disorder and/or co-occurring mental health conditions. All centers in Strive Health’s network of Centers for Recovery and Community Health are in-network with Humana Military (TRICARE) and the Veterans Choice Program.
“Addressing the need for increased access to, and quality of, substance abuse and mental health treatment for Veterans and their families is of critical importance for us as an organization” said Eric Frieman, Co-CEO of Strive Health. “My brother’s (an Infantry Officer in the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division) deployment to Iraq highlighted the importance of addressing the mental health and well-being of military families. We are proud to be working with VA as partners to increase the access to substance abuse and mental health services and improve the health and well-being of not just Veterans, but their families as well.”
Service members, Veterans and their loved ones in crisis or having thoughts of suicide — and those who know a Veteran in crisis — should call the Veterans & Military Crisis Line for confidential support 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Call 800-273-8255 and press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255. Visit www.maketheconnection.net for additional useful information.
About VFR Healthcare
VFR (Veteran & First Responder) Healthcare, the sister company of Strive Health, is a veteran-owned and operated organization that is committed to increasing the access to, and quality of, outpatient addiction and mental health treatment for Veterans, First Responders, and their families. VFR has developed clinical programming designed specifically for veterans, first responders, and their families and incorporates these principles to all programs and services provided. All Strive centers proudly serve VFR Healthcare and offer a wide range of confidential, trauma-informed outpatient treatment programs and services for adults and adolescents suffering from Substance Use Disorder and/or co-occurring mental health conditions, including intensive outpatient programs, outpatient programs, and early intervention services.
About Strive Health Centers for Recovery and Community Health
Strive Health (Strive) was founded to become the premier provider of high-quality, cost-effective, evidence-based outpatient addiction and behavioral health treatment in the United States. Strive programs and services are designed to provide high-quality, trauma-informed and client-centered outpatient treatment to help individuals in recovery maintain their life in the “real world” as they rebuild healthy, self-directed lives, reach their full potential, and achieve long-lasting outcomes.
Strive Health is proud to have developed a network of Centers for Recovery and Community Health united in its mission of providing the highest quality care to individuals and families striving to live healthy, self-directed lives. Strive centers provide a wide range of trauma-informed outpatient treatment programs and service for Substance Use Disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions that address the multi-level needs of its patients. Further, Strive programs utilize evidence-based treatment modalities, and offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as Vivitrol, to patients as clinically and medically appropriate.
All Strive centers proudly serve its sister company, VFR Healthcare, and offer a wide range of confidential, trauma-informed outpatient treatment programs and services designed specifically for Veterans, First Responders, and their families.