ABOUT VA MAINE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Located in Togus, Maine, just five miles east of Augusta, the VA Maine Healthcare System (also known as the Togus VA Medical Center, or simply Togus VAMC) is a 67-bed facility with surgical, medical, and mental health beds.
Having opened in 1866, Togus VAMC prides itself as being the oldest Veteran’s facility in the country. Today, Togus VAMC provides care to meet the mental health needs of its Veterans as well as specialized services for its elderly.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
The mental health conditions treated at Togus VAMC include addictive and aggressive behaviors, memory loss, anxiety and depression, emotion management, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and relationship and vocational problems. The center also runs a support group for friends and families of vets living with mental illness on the second Wednesday of the month.
For senior Vets in need of nursing home level care, Togus VAMC provides a safe and home-like environment under its Community Living Center (CLC). The stated goal of the CLC is to “restore function, prevent decline, maximize independence, and provide comfort when dying.” Home based primary care and extended care services are also available.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
The Chief of Staff at the VA Maine Healthcare System is a medical doctor who recently served as the State Epidemiologist for the state of Maine.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
According to its website, Togus VAMC “encompasses 500+ acres of buildings and natural woodlands serving as natural habitats for Maine’s wildlife.”
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Best-rehabs.com has yet to receive any reviews from this facility’s alumni.
However, the VA center has an excellent average rating of 4.5 stars out of five from 24 Google reviewers. “I have had very good care and find providers are VERY responsive,” wrote Katrine, a cancer patient at the VA.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
In the sole survey response for Best-rehabs.com to date, an anonymous loved one gave the VA center four-star ratings for more than a dozen areas of treatment including those measuring family inclusion, the staff’s level of training and experience, the treatment for co-occurring disorders, and the counseling options available. “Help loved ones,” they commented.
FINANCING
The cost of treatment is not provided on this VA center’s website, although it does accept private health insurance. The VA maintains: “Generally, VA cannot bill Medicare, but can bill Medicare supplemental health insurance for covered services.”