Ed Thompson Veterans Program

The Ed Thompson Veterans Center is a specialized residential treatment center where men, particularly those from a military background, can get the help they need. Situated between Richmond Hill and Jamaica, New York, this location serves as one of the locations where Samaritan Daytop Village (SDV) offers veterans a place to find healing and trauma-informed treatments that can help them break free from substance and alcohol addiction.

This program is particularly helpful for veterans because it accepts all veterans, no matter their discharge status. They even have assistants who work with the military to see if there’s a way to upgrade your discharge status to possibly avail more benefits. They also accept many forms of insurance and can offer discounted rates to uninsured or underinsured persons.

Residential Treatment Designed Specifically for Veterans

Within this residential program, they offer services that help you address and overcome addictions directly, as well as several services that help improve the quality of your life generally to decrease the need for coping mechanisms. Their treatments include individual counseling, group counseling, medication assisted treatment, and evidence based therapeutic approaches like moral reconation therapy. They also actively provide support and counseling for common co-occurring conditions, like PTSD and anxiety, as well as with medical needs (for example, hearing loss).

The facility itself has private spaces for quiet reflection as well as common living areas where residents can bond. The close knit community within the residence provides opportunities for peer support, and there are a few places nearby, like Forrest Park, where residents can visit alone or in groups to enjoy fresh air or put together a training session.

The SDV veterans program gives you further access to supports and social services relevant to veterans. These include housing assistance and a reintegration program that helps veterans adjust to life and work outside the military.

Helping Veterans Further Their Recovery

Beyond the program at Ed Thompson, SDV has an outpatient program at their other male veteran’s center for ongoing support and relapse prevention services. Their bridging services also include case management for those who need help accessing services and coordinating between healthcare providers.