Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- How Can Military Families Access Substance Use Disorder Treatment?
- Substance Use Risk Factors for Military Spouses and Dependents
- What Kind Of Help Do You or Your Loved One Need?
- Getting Help: Find Rehabs For Military Families Today
Overview
Not only do active military servicemembers and veterans face unique vulnerabilities to substance use disorder, but the loved ones and families that stand alongside them may also be at high risk.
In recognition of the unique realities that military families face, and how they can lead to substance use and other mental health challenges. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as well as many other military-focused organizations, offer resources to help families find treatment and guidance when substance use disorder is identified.
If you or your loved one is a member of a military family battling substance use, remember that you’re not alone, and help is out there to help you and your family heal and move forward.
How Can Military Families Access Substance Use Disorder Treatment?
There are multiple avenues through which military families can seek affordable and accessible treatment for substance use, the two most common of which include:
TRICARE Coverage – TRICARE Spouses and children of military personnel. It is the healthcare program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their family members around the world. TRICARE provides comprehensive coverage to all beneficiaries. The program offers particularly robust coverage for mental health services via both in-person and virtual services.
TRICARE covers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatment paradigms, including:
- Inpatient services (emergency and nonemergency)
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Management of withdrawal symptoms (detoxification)
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Mental health therapeutic services
- Office-based opioid treatment
- Opioid treatment programs
- Partial hospitalization programs
Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) – CHAMPVA offers assistance to eligible military loved ones and children who don’t qualify for TRICARE. In order to quality, participants must meet one of the three criteria below:
- Be the spouse or dependent child of a Veteran who’s been rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or
- Be the surviving spouse or dependent child of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability, or
- Be the surviving spouse or dependent child of a Veteran who was at the time of their death rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability
CHAMPVA benefits cover a full range of mental health conditions, and can be used as your primary insurance (satisfying the requirement for minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act), or it can be used with private insurance as a secondary resource to make treatment even more accessible. For patients on Medicaid, CHAMPVA cannot be the secondary insurance; for patients on Medicare, CHAMPVA will be the secondary plan, meaning that it will cover what Medicare is unable to pay for during the treatment process.
Substance Use Risk Factors for Military Spouses and Dependents
The stress and anxiety of constantly worrying about their loved one’s life and safety during active combat, issues of abandonment and lack of discipline, and watching their loved one struggle when they get back to civilian life are all common triggers that can lead to substance use disorder. Another factor that can lead to substance abuse within military families, particularly children of service members, is the strained relationship dynamic between often domineering or absentee parents.
What Kind Of Help Do You or Your Loved One Need?
Rehab for military families can help you untangle all of the issues related to your family dynamic that can drive substance use. This will most often be accomplished through a combination of group dynamics, individualized psychotherapy, and a variety of different modalities, such as family-of-origin therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Rehab for military families can be offered in multiple settings, including inpatient (residential) on base, outpatient, or even virtual. The most important thing is to find the right program that can address your unique care needs and lifestyle.
Getting Help: Find Rehabs For Military Families Today
Use our nationwide directory to locate a rehab center that offer treatment for family members of the US Military.
The most direct way to determine your or your loved one’s military benefits and coverage is by speaking with a VA representative or your supervisory personnel. Eligibility requirements for TRICARE and CHAMPVA are also clearly outlined on the organizations’ respective websites.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also offers the Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance (SMVF TA) Center to help eligible patients access care, support, and education resources. Their Interagency Task Force on Military and Veterans Mental Health is a collaborative effort across the Departments of Defense (DOD), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Health and Human Services (HHS). It works to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have access to needed mental health services and support.
No matter where you live or where your family is based, our representatives are here to help you find a rehab facility that will cater to your unique behavioral needs. We understand the distinct struggles that military families face and how they can lead to self-medication through alcohol or drug use. Whether you need in-depth residential care or can benefit from a more flexible outpatient option.
