South Texas VA Health Care System Audie L Murphy VA Hospital

About South Texas VA Health Care System Audie L Murphy VA Hospital

South Texas Veterans Health Care System Villa Serena provides residential and outpatient programs serving veterans with substance use and mental health needs.

The program offers treatment that includes family counseling, peer support and community integration services for veterans navigating addiction and co-occurring conditions.

Villa Serena focuses on supporting those who served by combining clinical care with the wraparound resources veterans need to rebuild stable, healthy lives.

Veteran-Focused Addiction Recovery

Villa Serena offers addiction treatment designed exclusively for veterans with both short-term and long-term residential care of up to 120 days as well as outpatient counseling.

As part of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, the program connects clinical addiction services with the broader VA continuum of care.

Treatment may include medication-assisted options such as buprenorphine and Suboxone paired with structures and intensive counseling.

Educational classes, faith-based support and primary care coordination help address both the substance use and the underlying issues that often accompany it.

Whole-Person Recovery

Beyond addiction care, Villa Serena supports veterans living with chronic mental illness and co-occurring conditions.

The program incorporates peer support, family involvement, employment services and vocational rehabilitation to help veterans reintegrate into the community with stability and purpose.

Villa Serena includes gender-specific programming and accommodations for hearing-impaired clients.

Edited by: Patti Croft, MBA

Addiction Treatment Programs

Alcohol Rehab
If you’re ready to overcome alcohol use disorder, an alcohol rehab in Texas can give you the tools you need. High-quality treatment lays a foundation for sobriety and helps prevent relapses by giving you new ways of thinking, better coping skills, and a better understanding of key life skills such as emotional regulation and communication.
Dual Diagnosis
Many people with addiction issues also have a mental health diagnosis, which is known as a dual diagnosis. Be sure to find a rehab in Texas that can treat both. A mental health diagnosis can feed into an addiction, making both worse. In a dual diagnosis program, these concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Opioid Addiction
The goal of an opioid rehab in Texas is to give you the tools and skills you need to achieve long-term recovery. Whether you need detox, inpatient treatment, or outpatient care, an opioid program will help you build a new lifestyle based on healthy coping mechanisms, better relationships, and a new way of thinking about life.
Adult Program
An adult program in Texas addresses the unique need of adults, such as finding secure housing, building a career, and raising a family. Adults often have challenges related to their careers, raising a family, and handling responsibilities. These concerns are addressed during evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Senior Rehab
Offering specialized substance use treatment for those who are older, senior rehabs in Texas provide a safe space to work on recovery. Older Americans often deal with chronic pain, loneliness, financial issues, and more. These concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Military Rehab
A military rehab in Texas provides an understanding environment that makes it easier to work on your long-term recovery. Service members and veterans have often experienced trauma civilians can’t imagine. These concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Men's Rehab
Choosing a men’s rehab in Texas can be a great way to manage gender-specific issues while also addressing substance use. Men often have questions about building their careers, being fathers, and having healthy communication styles. These concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Women's Rehab
If you’re a woman struggling with substance use, consider a women’s rehab program in Texas. Women often have questions about building their careers, raising children, and building healthy relationships. These concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
Young Adult Rehab
Young adult rehabs in Texas address a wide range of substance use issues while also helping clients transition into adulthood. Young adults often have questions about starting their careers, having a family, and living independently without overspending. These concerns are addressed along with typical evidence-based detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care.
PTSD Treatment Program
This South Texas VA facility offers specialized care for PTSD and related conditions including depression, anxiety, and co-occurring substance use, integrating trauma treatment with addiction recovery services.
Homeless Veterans Support
Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital provides a range of services and support for Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, connecting housing assistance with mental health and substance use care.
Same-Day Crisis Care
Veterans in emotional distress can access same-day help and crisis care at this San Antonio VA hospital, including support related to substance use and urgent mental health needs.
Telehealth Services
Using VA Video Connect, the South Texas VA Health Care System allows Veterans to attend mental health and substance use appointments remotely, improving access to care from home.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
The facility offers medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine and naltrexone, along with other medicines to help Veterans reduce cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms.

Insurance Coverage

Medicaid
How do you pay for rehab in Texas? If you have Medicaid, consider using it to pay for some or all of the costs of treatment. Medicaid covers multiple levels of care, and you may have no out-of-pocket costs. However, you’ll need to choose a treatment center that accepts Medicaid.
Private insurance
When you’re planning to use private insurance to pay for rehab in Texas, there are a few details to keep in mind. Your insurance plan can cover some or all of the cost of treatment. You’ll need to contact your insurer to find out what centers are in-network with your plan and what out-of-pocket costs you may be responsible for.
Self-pay options
When you use self-pay for rehab in Texas, you have a chance to choose any treatment center you like. Self-pay, also known as private pay, involves writing a check, using a medical loan from a bank or credit union, or sending money electronically. Payment arrangements may vary depending on the level of care.
Financial aid
If you qualify, using financial aid programs can help pay for substance use treatment in Texas. Community groups or non-profits in your area may offer assistance, or you might find a treatment program that has grants or scholarships.
Medicare
When looking for ways to pay for rehab in Texas, consider Medicare. Your Medicare plan can pay for some or all of the costs of rehab, although you will want to check on the full details. You may have some out-of-pocket costs such as copays or deductibles.
Military insurance
One way for military members and veterans to pay for rehab in Texas is to use military insurance. Insurance plans vary, so it’s important to contact the insurer for details. The best way to keep costs down is to choose a treatment center in your plan’s network.
Private Health Insurance
For non-service-connected conditions, the South Texas VA Health Care System bills private health insurance on behalf of enrolled Veterans receiving care at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in San Antonio.

Levels of Care

1
Detox Treatment
The first step to a substance-free lifestyle is detox in Texas. When you are free of all substances, which may take around a week, you’ll be ready to start building a bright future where you can chase your dreams and create the life you love.
2
Inpatient Rehab
The facility provides residential rehabilitation treatment for Veterans with substance use disorders who require a more structured program, combining medical support with therapy in a live-in setting.
3
Outpatient Rehab
Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital offers outpatient treatment for substance use disorders including individual and group counseling, allowing Veterans in South Texas to receive addiction care while living at home.
4
Aftercare Support
Overcoming substance use is a lifelong process. Aftercare in Texas gives you the support you need to stay sober. Relapse prevention is a lifelong project, and having aftercare support like sober housing, recovery-focused activities, and a place to build healthy friendships can make all the difference.

Therapies

Cognitive Behavior Therapy
In Texas, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps you identify wrong thinking that can create impulsive actions. This makes it much easier to reach long-term recovery. As you learn to identify thought disortions, your confidence in your ability to manage a wide variety of situations will grow. You’ll have the tools you need to address problems and manage triggers in a healthy way.
Creative Arts Therapy
If you’re struggling with substance use in Texas, creative arts therapy can help you work through emotions so you can make positive changes. During creative arts therapy, you’ll work through activities that will help you understand and express deeply held feelings. Understanding these root issues can make it easier to create positive changes.
Experiential Therapy
In Texas, experiential therapy is a holistic therapy that is widely used in addiction treatment. Experiential therapy is a complement to traditional evidence-based treatment approaches and may be a part of inpatient treatment, outpatient care, or both
Family Therapy
Attending family therapy in Texas is a way to address broken relationships and dysfunction, helping you establish long-term recovery. Substance use treatment includes detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care, and family therapy may be a part of each of these stages. The goal is to help families address past events and broken relationships and develop healthy ways of relating to each other.
Group Therapy
Group counseling is offered as part of outpatient substance use disorder treatment at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, giving Veterans peer support alongside structured recovery-focused programming.
Individual Therapy
During individual therapy in Texas, clients work with a professional to address specific individual concerns. During individual therapy, you have the freedom and confidentiality to share personal issues and past experiences that may impact your substance use. Your therapist will help you work through those concerns and develop new ways of handling them.
Trauma Therapy
Trauma-informed therapy in Texas can provide a way to process past events and create better coping strategies as you work through substance use treatment. Because trauma can be a significant trigger for substance use, trauma-informed therapy will help you understand what happened to you, realize that it was wrong, and create a healthier way of relating to that memory and the emotions you feel.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio offers evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy for Veterans facing substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions as part of its addiction treatment services.
Trauma-Focused Therapy
The San Antonio VA hospital provides Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure for Veterans with PTSD alongside substance use disorder, addressing trauma and addiction together in one coordinated treatment plan.
Individual Counseling
Veterans receiving substance use disorder care at this South Texas VA facility have access to individual counseling sessions designed to support recovery goals, manage cravings, and reduce relapse risk over time.