Vanderbilt Addiction Center

Division of Addiction Psychiatry

The Division of Addiction Psychiatry integrates research, teaching and clinical care in the broad area of addiction psychiatry. The division is structured so that it may deal with these widespread clinical problems from a perspective that spans a life cycle, is scientifically based in psychopharmacology and neuroscience and bridges psychiatry with internal medicine and neurology. The faculty of the division is dedicated to train the next generation of addiction psychiatrists who are committed to patient care, with the knowledge and skills to meaningfully investigate linkages between clinical expressions and molecular underpinnings of addiction in its various primary forms of presentation and it's co-occurrences with other psychiatric and medical disorders. The clinical activities of the division are performed in the Inpatient Unit of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center (VITA) and the Addiction Psychiatry Clinic, both located in the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital (VPH).

As part of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center, the Vanderbilt Institute for the Treatment of Addiction (VITA) Program offers a variety of services designed to help people start or resume a life of recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs. VITA’s services include:

• Inpatient Detox
  • 24-hour nursing care
  • Medical and psychiatric evaluation

Inpatient admission averages 5 to 7 days. Detoxification and stabilization from alcohol and/or other drugs takes place at this level. Services are medically managed and provided by a multidisciplinary treatment team made up of the physicians, nurses, social workers, addiction counselors, dieticians, and the patient. With the patient's approval, the family is also involved. When the patient meets criteria for discharge from the inpatient unit, follow-up plans are made prior to discharge.

• Intensive Outpatient Program
  • Group therapy
  • Education about addiction and recovery
  • Relapse prevention
  • Medical supervision
  • Dual diagnosis management as needed (for individuals with both substance abuse and psychiatric problems)
     
• Aftercare
  • For graduates of the VITA Program
     
• 12 Step Groups
  • VITA patients are required to attend at least three Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or Dual Recovery Anonymous groups in the community per week in addition to attending VITA
  • Family members and friends are urged to attend Al-Anon meetings

Appointment Line:  (615) 936-3555

Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program

The Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program for Professionals (VCAP) is a multi-disciplinary program that provides the highest quality, fitness-for-duty assessments and monitoring services to professionals who may be suffering from behavior problems, addiction, mental health, boundary-related, or burnout problems.

The program provides behavioral health evaluations and recommendations for helping professionals such as doctors, dentists, nurses, psychologists, clergy and attorneys and is available to executives and professionals from entertainment, business, industry, military, aviation, higher education and similar fields.

Director: A.J. Reid Finlayson, M.D.

For more information, contact Ron Neufeld (615 322-4567) or visit the VCAP website. 

Other Vanderbilt Centers

Center for Professional Health

The Vanderbilt Center for Professional Health (CPH) is an educational, research and prevention resource to address matters of professional ( physician ) health. In
particular, the Center offers the following services:

• continuing education on proper prescribing of controlled drugs
• continuing education on maintaining proper boundaries
• continuing education on improving workplace behavior
• research on matters of professional health and performance

CPH Co-Directors:  William Swiggart, M.S., L.P.C. and Charlene M. Dewey, M.D., M.Ed., F.A.C.P.

For more information, contact (615) 936-0678 or  cph@vanderbilt.edu or visit the CPH website. 

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