Veteran Support Unit

Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital is proud to provide our Veteran Support Unit, an inpatient behavioral health program designed to treat the unique challenges and needs of those who have served our country.

Two smiling veterans sit at a picnic bench together.

Our Mission

The mission of the Veteran Support Unit is to provide exceptional inpatient behavioral health and recovery-oriented services to all eligible veterans. The program offers structured, evidence-based treatment in a setting tailored solely to meet the needs of our veterans.

The Veteran Support Unit is a place for veterans to come for support, professional treatment and personal growth towards their own recovery goals. The Veteran Support Unit’s programming was designed exclusively to meet the unique needs of the veteran population who face various challenges, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use-related disorders and acute mental health disorders.

Upon admission, each veteran will receive a comprehensive assessment that leads to an individual treatment plan and assigned to the unit most clinically beneficial. Prior to discharge, each veteran will participate in the discharge planning process that identifies individual needs and referral resources that will support recovery in the community.

Our Veteran Support Unit is staffed by highly motivated professionals, many of whom are veterans themselves or family members. As such, Emerald Coast Behavioral Health’s Veteran Support Unit team possesses unique insight into issues facing the veteran population.

COMPACT Act

Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital’s Veteran Support Unit can provide emergency mental health care as well as inpatient and follow-up care for those veterans experiencing a suicidal crisis.

With the passage of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care and Treatment Act of 2020 (COMPACT Act), any veteran, regardless of VA enrollment status, can access no-cost emergency suicide care whenever and wherever they need it. This includes no-cost emergency care, to include transportation, inpatient care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.

To be eligible for emergency treatment during an acute suicidal crisis and follow-on care, you must meet any one of the following conditions:

  • Served more than 24 months of active duty and received any discharge type other than dishonorable OR
  • Served on active or reserve duty for 100 days or more under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location and received any discharge type other than dishonorable OR
  • Been the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature or sexual harassment while serving in the armed forces.

Features of Veteran Support Unit

  • Streamlined referral and admissions process
  • Private open-air courtyard
  • Biweekly staff-led town hall meetings
  • Weekly spiritual group (optional)
  • Primary care and medical ARNPs on staff
  • Individual therapist assigned to every patient
  • Daily psychiatrist or psychiatric ARNP sessions

Our Treatment Programming

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EDMR)
  • Individual Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • MHT Goals Group
  • Psychoeducational and Process Therapy Group
  • Expressive Therapy Group
  • Wellness Group
  • Nursing Group
  • Daily contact with Medical Doctor or APRN overseeing treatment

FAQs

For help with scheduling an evaluation for admission, please contact Tyler Evans, Director of Business Development: 850-763-0017 and [email protected].

If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis, immediately seek care at the nearest emergency department or call 911.

The cost of treatment depends on the length of stay and services provided. We accept VA benefits, TRICARE®, most private insurances, Medicare and Managed Medicaid. Private pay arrangements are also available.

If you have any questions regarding your VA healthcare eligibility, please contact the VA health benefits hotline at 877-222-8387, a VSO representative or your state’s veteran agency.

For help with scheduling an evaluation for admission, please contact Tyler Evans, Director of Business Development: 850-763-0017 and [email protected].  You may be eligible for transport based on the COMPACT Act.

Here is what you should bring

Following discharge from the hospital, follow-up care in an outpatient setting is critical to the success of the treatment process. You and your treatment team will work together on the discharge planning process to identify individual needs and referral resources, including discussion with family members, to support recovery in the community.

Fast and effective communication is our top priority at Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital. If you are a veteran seeking treatment, please contact us to schedule an evaluation for admission:

Tyler Evans, Director of Business Development: 850-763-0017 and [email protected]

If you are a provider with questions regarding the Veteran Support Unit, please contact:

Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital: 850-763-0017

If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis, immediately seek care at the nearest emergency department or call 911.

Program & Services

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