30 Years of Healing at the DOM with Dr. Beverly Haas

“If it weren’t for the American military, I think that there would be a lot more evil in the world than there is right now,” Haas said. The subject makes her understandably emotional and fuels her intense dedication to her work.

Haas is the mental health lead for the Domiciliary (DOM), located in Buildings 214 and 217 on the West LA VA Campus. The West LA VA DOM is the largest Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) in the country with the capacity to house 289 Veterans.

The DOM is reserved for Veterans who are facing homelessness, mental health or substance abuse issues. Veterans live on site for the duration of their treatment.

To become a resident, Veterans need a provider’s referral or to visit The Welcome Center in Building 257. They’ll be screened and if accepted, given an admission date. The treatment team then develops a plan designed to meet their unique needs.

Different treatment tracks address different conditions. The nine tracks include a seriously mentally ill track, two substance abuse tracks for people who are housed, two substance abuse tracks for people who are unhoused, a combat track, a women’s track, a detox track and a housing and employment track (for those who have completed their initial treatment).

The West LA VA DOM works with nearly 1,000 Veterans per year.

Making a Career with VA

In addition to her mother’s incredible story of survival, Haas’s father served in the Air Force during World War II, so Veteran’s issues have always been close to home for her. She expresses deep gratitude for all who’ve served.

Haas’s first job at the West LA VA was in 1980, working as a research assistant for Dr. Robert P. Liberman, a famous behavioral psychiatrist. Liberman was the first psychiatrist to prove that seriously and persistently mentally ill individuals, such as those with chronic schizophrenia, could learn to control their symptoms, improve their social and independent living skills and enjoy a better quality of life.

“It was the opportunity of a lifetime for me,” she said, and she loved it from the start.

Haas went on to attend grad school at the University of Houston in Texas before returning to West LA VA for an internship. After she wrote her dissertation, she was offered a permanent research position working with Vietnam Veterans who had severe combat exposure.

She started at the DOM in 1993, and her previous experience inspired her to create the combat track in 2008 with help from some colleagues.

“I feel that a great part of the healing comes from the camaraderie that Veterans share,” she said. “They can relate the best to each other and that can be such a huge part of the healing process.”

A Day at the DOM

DOM residents spend their time engaged in programming around substance use, dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and establishing healthy habits including mindfulness and meditation. A wide array of therapies are available, focusing on everything from the spiritual to the vocational and behavioral. A gym and computer lab are also on site.

Recreational therapy is a huge part of life at the DOM. “It’s not enough to take away addictive behaviors,” Haas said. “What’s going to replace that?”

Surfing, gliding, yoga, kayaking, horseback riding, art and hiking, among others, are all activities that DOM residents get to take part in. DOM Recreation Therapist Brenna Partridge sees the value of these modalities in helping Veterans heal and find positive coping mechanisms.

“The idea that you can use an activity to not be in that constant space of trauma or anxiety or self-doubt is huge,” Partridge said.

“Recreation is as essential for helping Veterans as anything I do as a psychologist,” Haas said. “It really gets them involved in positive and healthy behaviors in life. People can see that they can have excitement in their life without drugs or alcohol.”

Opting Into Treatment

Haas wants to emphasize that treatment doesn’t have to be scary. “Treatment actually can be a lot of fun,” she said. “I think they’ll find it interesting. They’ll learn things about themselves and other people.”

Recreation therapy, while fun, is also helping Veterans develop key life skills. “Recreation therapy is a form of treatment.” Partridge said. “There are goals to what we do and there’s a purpose behind it.”

If Veterans think they might need help, they should consider the DOM, Haas said. Even if they’re actively using substances, they can still be admitted and begin their journey to sobriety.

“I think it’s important for any Veteran who’s been hesitant to get care to think about the DOM as a treatment option,” Haas said. “It might really help them make some progress in their life.”

One such Veteran was former infantryman Mark, who served in Vietnam. “We were in a lot of combat and I have lots of horrible memories to this day,” he said of his time in the service. “I needed some help; I began drinking and that took its toll on me and my family.”

His loved ones helped him get admitted to the DOM, where he was on the combat track and worked directly with Dr. Haas to address his PTSD.

“She is a breath of fresh air,” he said. “She’s diligent, caring, understanding and intelligent. Her demeanor is just very soothing and she’s exactly what I needed.”

Different Definitions of Success

During Haas’s storied career she’s developed lasting, meaningful relationships with her patients, almost becoming like another member of their family.

“There’s a lot of Veterans that don’t have anybody else in their life,” Haas said. “And the DOM and the caring staff here have been able to be that other person in their life for them.”

And while many DOM residents have gone on to obtain employment or enroll in school, for some Veterans, just reconnecting with their family and being able to live peacefully is the definition of success.

“Success looks different for everybody,” Haas said. “It’s not all happy stuff but that we’ve been able to be there for them. I do feel we’ve made a lot of people’s lives better.”

Mark is grateful for his time at the DOM and for the tireless care of Dr. Haas and others.

“I loved every minute of it; I didn’t even want to leave. For me it was a resurgence of the man I used to be – my ability to deal with people, make decisions, help people.”

For Veterans returning from overseas, Mark sees Dr. Haas and the DOM – and the combat track in particular – as an important resource for healing. The sooner a Veteran can get there, he said, the better off they’ll be.

“It was wonderful,” he said. “I took advantage of it; I took it seriously from day one and it helped me tremendously.”

Veterans who are interested in learning more about the DOM can call 310-478-3711, ext. 43129.