WE ARE A VA COMMUNITY CARE PROVIDER
Since 2023, the Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health has been a certified and contracted community care provider of mental health counseling services for VA referred veterans. Because the majority of our counselors are either veterans themselves or immediate family members of veterans, there exists a deeper understanding of the experiences and obstacles faced by veterans and veteran families. Since 2023, AIBH has treated over 1,100 VA-referred veterans with substantial success in outcomes for treated veterans. Strong therapeutic alliances and higher amounts of positive outcomes are contributed to veteran counselors helping veterans heal.
HOW TO GET A VA CCN REFERRAL
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As a veteran himself, John Duffey, Sr., our founder and executive director, is well aware of the long waits and unanswered VA.gov messages. He is also a VA patient and sits in the waiting rooms, waits for days on end to get an answer to messages or requests and waiting on refills that are always late no matter how early the refill request is made.
Its frustrating. In some cases, outright infuriating and the seeming lack of care, compassion, and empathy displayed by front-desk personnel can lead a person to feel hopeless and helpless in regard to their medical and mental healthcare within the VA system. There are endless stories from veterans regarding what they perceive as contempt and ill regard. Some veterans have reached the conclusion that "raising hell," is the only way they can get attention drawn to their needs in the VA system. We understand that frustration, too. However, things can be made a little easier by informing you of how to go about getting a VA referral to Alabama Institute for community care counseling. STEP 1: Contact you VA Healthcare System Primary Care Provider (PcP). This is the Doctor you routinely see for routine medical appointments. You can contact you PcP by scheduling and in-person or tele-health appointment and asking for a referral for mental health or send a message through myhelthevet messaging to your PcP. An alternative to this is to call or message the mental health personnel in your VA healthcare facility and ask for a referral. You can also walk-in to your nearest VA clinic where a mental health department is located and simply ask the nurse or, if you are already seeing a psychiatrist there, the psychiatrist and request a referral directly. STEP 2: The Process. As with everything else in the VA system, there is a process that an outside referral request must follow. If you asked your PcP then the request made by your PcP will be sent electronically to Psychiatry where a psychiatrist will sign off on it. When approved by psychiatry a referral is sent to OPTUM who then sends a referral document to the Community Provider you requested. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ASK FOR THE PROVIDER YOU WANT WHEN REQUESTING A REFERRAL. If you don't then you are randomly assigned to a CCN provider in the community. STEP 3: First Appointment Made. After the referral is received by AIBH staff you will be called and an appoint scheduled. BE SURE TO REQUEST ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH or JOHN M. DUFFEY as the provider for the referral to receive treatment at AIBH. |
IMPORTANT VA NUMBERS
Patient Advocacy: 334-273-6204 CAVHS Main Number: 800-214-8387 Poydasheff Campus extensions: 66252 | 66553 | 66556 Tuskegee Campus extensions: 53830 | 53304 Travel extensions: 53030 | 53463 | 53464 | 53465 CRISIS HOTLINE: Dial or test 988. |