The Starlight Military Program is dedicated to active duty military members and veterans whose lives have changed and become unmanageable due to significant substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental health issues. This 28-day co-occurring residential rehabilitation program is dedicated to providing a stigma-free treatment environment specifically designed to meet the needs of active duty personnel in all branches of military service.

The treatment team understands that military life can be stressful to service members and their families, resulting in the types of disorders that require specialized treatment and unique recovery programs. Starlight treatment staff utilizes proven recovery methods that are focused on helping you develop solid strategies to promote healthy decision-making related to substance use, and education that supports permanent lifestyle changes aimed at maintaining long-term mental health recovery.

Residential Rehabilitation

The Starlight Program is structured to enhance the resiliency of active duty military personnel, and utilizes a wide array of evidence-based treatment therapies to enhance a core 12-Step model of recovery.

Specific objectives of the rehabilitation service include:

• Develop a comprehensive and individualized plan of treatment with the client based on the problems and needs identified in the admission assessments.
• Introduce clients to AA and NA through group and individual counseling. Meetings are part of the inpatient program, both at the Institute and in the community.
• Provide an understanding of the family dynamics of chemical dependency through individually scheduled family treatment.
• Educate clients on the physical, psychological and spiritual effects of addiction through lectures, films and discussion of areas such as medical aspects, nutrition, AIDS, ACOA’s, codependency, Al-Anon, loss and grief, and recreation in recovery.
• Build social skills in order to prevent negative peer pressure and loss of impulse control leading to relapse.
• Teach relapse prevention and other recovery skills through identification of precipitants to alcohol and drug usage and appropriate coping skills.
• Establish a plan for continuing treatment and long-term recovery.

Our Philosophy

We believe successful behavioral health treatment occurs in the least restrictive setting that provides the most effective intensity of services. Our mission is to draw on the psychological resiliency of our active duty service members in order to provide them with adaptive coping skills needed to maintain a productive and healthy lifestyle. Our treatment program uses evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapeutic approaches that are consistent with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense treatment guidelines.

Treatment includes:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (informal groups)
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy
• Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Applied Integrated Therapy (AIT)
• 12-Step facilitation
• Individual therapy and group treatment modalities
• Family and couples counseling
• Life skills treatment, including anger management
• Conflict resolution/coping skills
• Treatment focus on military-specific issues
• Separation adjustment
• Deployment readiness
• Loss and grief counseling
• Combat/traumatic stress
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Transition adjustment

Stonington Institute is proud to be part of Patriot Support Programs, which provide unparalleled treatment to active-duty service members facing a variety of behavioral health challenges. Recognizing the unique stressors and experiences associated with military service, our facilities offer comprehensive and personalized care for issues such as PTSD, depression, substance use, and complex trauma. Our dedicated staff, psychiatrists and therapists work closely with referring agencies and to ensure seamless communication and customized goals for active-duty personnel in our tailored programs. For more information about Patriot Support Programs, please visit www.PatriotSupportPrograms.com.

Stonington Institute’s professional staff are here to help. Call 800-832-1022 or 860-535-1010 and select option 1 for a no-cost screening that gathers demographic, insurance and clinical information needed by the assessment team. If you need immediate medical assistance, contact 911 or seek the nearest emergency room.