RIVERVIEW, Fla., May 16, 2024 – American Addiction Centers (AAC) has recognized River Oaks Treatment Center as a Veterans Center of Excellence, highlighting its commitment to providing high-quality, Veterans-focused care. With over 18 million Veterans in the United States, AAC aims to ensure that these heroes have access to top-notch treatment centers. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than one in ten Veterans have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder, slightly higher than the general population. Deployment often leads to unhealthy drinking and drug use among Veterans. To address this issue, AAC launched the initiative to identify its centers that excel in Veterans’ addiction treatment.
River Oaks achieved this distinction due to its long standing connection with local Veterans Affairs as a community partner and its dedication to evidence-based, trauma-informed care. The center has appointed a specialized Veterans care team composed of Veterans themselves, ensuring a deep understanding of the unique needs and culture of these individuals. Additionally, River Oaks Treatment Center is committed to advanced certification of its staff in Veterans care services, a rarity among healthcare providers. In addition, River Oaks Treatment Center stands out as one of the only treatment centers in Florida with four physicians board certified in Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine.
“The importance of caring for our nation’s heroes cannot be overstated,” says Hoyt Smith, Executive Director of River Oaks Treatment Center. “We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to our Veterans and maintaining a strong relationship with the VA for ongoing aftercare for our patients.”
As a Veterans Center of Excellence, River OaksTreatment Center offers AAC’s new program, The Rally Point: AAC. This program utilizes a proprietary curriculum that addresses mental health and trauma, empowering Veterans through a mission-focused mindset approach with strength-based therapy and positive psychology. Veterans also benefit from concierge services for care coordination.
To learn more about The Rally Point AAC program at River Oaks, visit https://riveroakstreatment.com/addiction-recovery-tampa/veteran-program/
The center provides Veterans-only groups every weekday. In addition to its comprehensive approach, River Oaks Treatment Center offers the following evidence-based therapies: Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Alongside the Veterans treatment, River Oaks also provides specialty group services addressing grief, skill building, LGBTQ specific treatment, anger management, and PTSD education.
“Our program’s dedication to Veterans is deeply ingrained,” stated Fran Myers-Routt, LCSW, ACSW, Clinical Director at River Oaks Treatment Center. “Our team, including therapists, case managers, treatment advocates, and physicians, works tirelessly to deliver exceptional care. We want to support Veterans in attaining optimal mental health and lasting recovery, empowering them to lead fulfilling lives beyond their time with us.”
