About
About VA Healthcare Systems of Connecticut
VA Healthcare Systems of Connecticut operates from the West Haven campus at 950 Campbell Avenue, serving veterans across Connecticut with a full continuum of substance use treatment. The program is Joint Commission accredited and SAMHSA-certified as an Opioid Treatment Program, embedded within one of New England’s larger VA medical facilities. As a federal VA program, care is provided through veteran benefits rather than commercial insurance, with no out-of-pocket cost for eligible veterans.
The substance use treatment continuum includes hospital-based medical detox, residential treatment beds for veterans needing extended structured care, intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and standard outpatient services. The Opioid Treatment Program certification allows the facility to dispense methadone and other approved medications for opioid use disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the documented evidence-based therapy at the core of clinical practice, supplemented by group therapy, individual counseling, and the VA system’s well-developed trauma-informed care protocols.
The program serves veterans exclusively. Co-occurring PTSD, depression, and anxiety — disproportionately common in the veteran population — are addressed in parallel with substance use treatment. The West Haven campus is geographically central for veterans across the New Haven, Fairfield, and Hartford regions, with community-based outpatient clinics extending coverage throughout Connecticut.
Veterans seeking care can be referred through their VA primary care provider, through the Veterans Crisis Line (988, press 1), or directly at (203) 508-7894. Eligibility is based on VA enrollment; service-connected veterans typically receive priority access. TRICARE-covered family members and certain other categories may also access components of the program. Same-day access for veterans in crisis is a core VA promise.
- Exclusively serves veterans with specialized medical detox protocols for military personnel
- Joint Commission accredited facility operating as certified Opioid Treatment Program
- 24/7 medical supervision and withdrawal management availability
- Accepts TRICARE and offers free treatment for qualifying veterans
- Comprehensive detox-to-discharge planning with naloxone education