About
About Vet Affairs/Edward Hines Jr Hospital
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital is one of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ major medical centers in the Chicago region, and its Substance Abuse Section is the addiction service line for veterans across the area. Located at 5000 South 5th Avenue in Hines, Illinois, the program operates inside Building 228 on the broader Hines VA campus, giving veterans access to addiction treatment within a fully integrated medical and mental health system.
The program offers the full continuum of substance use care available to eligible veterans. Medical detox stabilizes patients in acute withdrawal, residential treatment supports longer-term stabilization, and outpatient and intensive outpatient services step clients down into community living. As a SAMHSA-certified Opioid Treatment Program, the hospital can also provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine alongside counseling and psychiatric support.
Because Hines is a full VA hospital, addiction care is delivered alongside primary care, psychiatry, PTSD treatment, and specialty medical services. Veterans with co-occurring conditions, particularly PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or chronic medical illness, can have their substance use treated in coordination with the rest of their VA care. The hospital has been affiliated with Northwestern University since 1946, which gives it long-standing clinical depth and access to medical training programs.
Care is funded through VA benefits, with TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid, and self-pay options available for eligible veterans and certain family situations. The program is accredited by The Joint Commission and CARF. For veterans in Cook County and the surrounding Chicago metro who need addiction treatment delivered inside the VA system, Hines offers one of the most comprehensive, fully integrated options in Illinois.
- Exclusive medical detox services for military veterans with specialized withdrawal protocols
- 24/7 hospital-based detox center with continuous medical supervision and monitoring
- Joint Commission and CARF accredited facility operating within VA healthcare system
- Certified Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) with medication-assisted treatment protocols
- Integrated care model connecting detox services with ongoing VA medical and mental health services