Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that prevents/relieves opioid withdrawal symptoms and reduces cravings without the high associated with other opioids. Medication for Opioid Disorder (MOUD) is a first-line treatment available to veterans. Veterans who need it may also combine MOUD with counseling or therapy.

It's important for veterans and their family members and caregivers to know what to do in an emergency. When used immediately after an opioid overdose, administration of Naloxone can rapidly reverse the overdose by temporarily blocking the effects of the opioids to prevent death.

• Veterans who use opioids can ask their VA provider to prescribe naloxone at no cost.

• Friends and family members of veterans and veterans who are not enrolled in VA healthcare in Massachusetts can click here to identify Naloxone and other harm reduction resources or contact their local pharmacy or health department to obtain Naloxone.

• Eligible programs can obtain Naloxone through the Massachusetts Community Naloxone Program (CNP) to distribute to community bystanders.

The Home Base Outpatient Clinic in Charlestown offers in-person and virtual care to veterans, service members, and family members within Massachusetts who are affected by invisible wounds, such as PTSD, depression, mild cognitive impairment due to traumatic brain injury, substance use disorders, and related conditions.

• Offerings include comprehensive evaluations, case management, individual virtual therapy, group therapy, couples therapy, parenting education groups, reintegration groups, stress reduction and resiliency groups, fitness, nutrition, yoga, art, and tai chi.

• Home Base’s Outpatient Clinic also offers several types of medication for alcohol and other substance use disorders, including suboxone. Veterans can discuss their interest in pharmacotherapy during their intake evaluation or at a later time to arrange for a consultation.

The SOAR Program is a fully virtual intensive outpatient recovery program for veterans and service members with problematic substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions within the state of Massachusetts to receive professional support and evidence-based care to help meet their individual recovery goals and needs.

• The program runs for 4–8 weeks on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3–4:30pm.

• Individuals are not required to be in individual therapy or sober for a certain amount of time to participate. Participants are supported in meeting their individual recovery goals, including reducing use and/or abstinence.

• To connect to care at Home Base or recommend an individual for this program, please complete the Connect to Care form or call (617) 724-5202.

The Intensive Clinical Program (ICP) is a two-week outpatient treatment program designed to treat veterans, service members, and their family members with up to two years of treatment, combining evidence-based therapy with complementary and alternative medicine and high-level peer support.

• Treatment, food, lodging and transportation expenses are covered for participants, including veterans traveling from outside of the state of Massachusetts.

• Insurance will be billed for ICP participants who have it, but participants will not be billed for any co-pays or remaining balances after insurance payments.

• Family members and support people are encouraged to participate and, as an integral part of the healing process, are provided with their own education and support opportunities.

The Comprehensive Brain Health and Trauma Program (ComBHaT) provides the Special Operations and Explosive Ordnance Disposal community with an integrated, multidisciplinary specialist evaluation, treatment, and care coordination.

The Intensive Clinical Program for Families of the Fallen (ICPFF) is designed to treat Survivors of Fallen Warriors with up to two years of treatment in a two-week program, combining evidence-based therapy with complementary and alternative medicine.

The Native Intensive Clinical Program was built through consultation with Native American Veterans, tribal leaders and healthcare administrators to provide long sought after healing and lifesaving care to Native American Veterans, Service Members and their Families at no cost.

While people may not be able to control stressful events, they can learn to control their response to stress and, in turn, improve their ability to adapt more effectively to stress. Home Base’s Resiliency Programs are six-session educational mind-body courses that help veterans, service members, and military-connected family members manage stress more effectively:

• Resilient Warrior

• Resilient Family

• Resilient Youth

Home Base also offers a Resilience Instructor Certification Programto train and certify instructors to administer the Resilient Warrior and Resilient Family courses, supporting individuals and organizations in the non-profit or government sectors or otherwise who will offer the groups at no cost and work in collaboration with Home Base to track program outcomes.

• For more information, contact hbresilience@mgh.harvard.edu.

Skillful Parenting is a seven-session educational series designed to help families feel more confident in parenting, provide healthy boundaries and routines for children, and reduce parenting stress.

• This program is designed for adults with parenting responsibilities for school-age children in the home between ages 5-14 who are looking for practical tools and skills to support their parenting needs. Complete an interest form to be notified of future groups.

The Impact of Trauma Educational Series is a four-session educational series for veterans, service members and adult members of military families interested in learning about the impact of trauma on relationships and mental health, including PTSD and other post-traumatic reactions, and evidence-based therapies offered at Home Base to treat these conditions.

• Sessions are held virtually, via Zoom, every Monday from 11am–12:15pm, typically beginning the first Monday of each month. Attending all four sessions is recommended, as each session builds on the previous material. Click here to register.

Adventure Series events are open to veterans, service members, military families, and Families of the Fallen. Past activities have included skiing, skating, museum visits, sporting events and more. They are open to both adaptive and able-bodied participants.

• Upcoming Adventure Series events in New England

• Register for the Adventure Series Newsletter

The New England Warrior Health and Fitness (WHF) Program is dedicated to helping veterans, service members, and their families achieve their health and wellness goals through evidence-based exercise prescriptions, nutrition guidance, mindset coaching and social connections. Click here to register. The program provides participants with:

• regular scheduled workouts with a Home Base strength coach;

• 1-on-1 nutrition counseling;

• bi-monthly educational workshops;

• Warrior mindset coaching;

• team building and social events (boxing, spin, yoga, etc); and

• regular updates via web-based communication.

Participants of the WHF Program will have in-person and virtual access to Home Base certified strength and conditioning specialists, registered dietitian nutritionists and mental skills coaching as support during the 90-day program and beyond.

• Pre-participation screenings and health assessments are required for all participants.

• All participants must commit to attending at least one workout a week.

• Individuals of all fitness abilities are eligible to participate.

The Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund (MMHF) serves post-9/11 Families of the Fallen from Massachusetts who lost an active-duty service member since September 11, 2001. MMHF at Home Base provides critical mental healthcare as well as financial assistance, advocacy and benefits navigation, and specialized referrals to post-9/11 Massachusetts Families of the Fallen.

• Basic Needs offers limited financial assistance for post-9/11 Massachusetts Families of the Fallen whose financial security has been compromised by the loss of an active-duty service member for missed rental and mortgage payments, utility bills, and other basic necessities.

• Emergency Casualty Assistance offers emergency financial assistance for post-9/11 Massachusetts Families of the Fallen impacted by the loss of an active-duty service member who was an immediate family member.

• Family Enrichment offers annual financial assistance — up to $1,000 per year — for post-9/11 Massachusetts Families of the Fallen impacted by the loss of an active-duty service member to be used for services and programs that can enrich their quality of life, including but not limited to uninsured mental health counseling fees, life-coaching services and career-counseling services.

To connect with MMHF at Home Base, please contact Diane Nealon, LICSW, Director of the Families of the Fallen Program, at dnealon@mgh.harvard.edu.