Ketamine Wellness Centers Partners with Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Network to Provide Free Ketamine Treatments to Veterans

Ketamine Wellness Centers (KWC) the largest ketamine therapy provider in the United States, announces new partnerships with the Veterans Affairs Community Care Networks (VA-CCN). The partnership will allow KWC to offer ketamine treatments to veterans at no out-of-pocket cost at the KWC locations in select locations. Requests for more partnerships with KWC are anticipated to follow from VA-CCN nationwide to meet the growing needs of VA patients, The programs cover patients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and chronic pain when traditional VA treatment options have proven unsuccessful. KWC also currently offers a Hero Discount at every clinic to cover partial out-of-pocket costs of the treatment for military veterans and first responders not covered by VA-CCN agreements.

More than 1.7 million veterans received some level of treatment in a VA mental health specialty program in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. One in ten of the U.S. adult population is diagnosed with PTSD and unsurprisingly, even higher rates are found among military veterans and first responders. The percentage of veterans with PTSD varies by where they served: Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (11-20%), Gulf War/Desert Storm (12%), and the Vietnam War (30% have had PTSD in their lifetime).

Research has intensified into causes and better treatments of PTSD. It is known to damage synaptic connections in the brain that affect information flow and patterns of thought. Ketamine treatments are shown to successfully repair and improve these connections while also building new, healthy ones. Left untreated, or when traditional treatments are ineffective, PTSD is unlikely to disappear and can contribute to chronic pain, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide.  PTSD damage can reappear over time if the treatment is stopped, and no other support strategies are put in place.

Kevin Nicholson, CEO of KWC commented, “We are honored to support these men and women who have selflessly served our country. This partnership with the Illinois and Minnesota chapters of the VA Community Care Network is vital to veterans in these communities. Many of these remarkable people and their families turn to KWC after a long painful journey through disappointing ineffective treatments. They are seeking effective, affordable therapies to help them get their lives back on track. We are continuing to work with VA-CCN to expand this initiative to our other locations so we can ensure veterans everywhere are supported and have the treatments they need. We are committed to giving back to these heroes for all they have done for this country. We want to restore the hope and sense of optimism for the future that they and their families deserve.”