United States Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Polytrauma System of Care

Welcome to the Palo Alto Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center

Palo Alto VA Medical Center

VA Palo Alto Health Care System
3801 Miranda Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 493-5000
Toll Free: 800-999-5021

Returning Veterans Coordinator:
Laura Gomez
(650) 444-7114

Polytrauma Case Manager:
Scott Skiles
(650) 387-7323

Polytrauma Director:
Sandy Lai (MD)
(650) 493-5000 (Ext. 62749)


 

VA Palo Alto Health Care System is a proud member of the Sierra Pacific Network – Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 21.

What is Polytrauma?

The Palo Alto Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center is one of four facilities in the country designed to provide intensive rehabilitative care to veterans and service members who experienced severe injuries (including brain injuries) to more than one organ system.  For more information about Polytrauma, visit the national Polytrauma System of Care page.

Find out more about the Women’s Trauma Recovery Program at Palo Alto.

Learn more about OIF/OEF services throughout the region.
 

Mental Health Support

Many veterans with Polytrauma injuries also need mental health support.  If you or someone you know is having trouble readjusting to civilian life, is having trouble sleeping, or is experiencing mood swings, depression, or other signs of extreme stress, we can offer free or low-cost assistance and care. 

You are not alone.

Readjustment Counseling System (Vet Centers)

National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

VA Mental Health Program
 

Additional Information

If you are interested in more information about admission to the Palo Alto Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or want to schedule an evaluation, please contact Merryl Young, our Admissions and Referral Officer, at (650)-924-3259.

Veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) should contact their local OEF/OIF Coordinator for information about benefits and health care enrollment.  Locate points of contact for returning veterans and soldiers throughout the Northern California and Northwester Nevada region.

 

Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP)

The Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP), formerly the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit (BIRU), is one of four VA outpatient and residential programs.  These provide comprehensive, post-acute cognitive retraining and community re-entry rehabilitation to TBI patients.  The program lasts an average of ten months, but continues as long as the patient is making significant progress.  Most rehabilitation treatment takes place in a group setting; however, all patients receive one-on-one therapy as needed.  Palo Alto also provides housing on a residential inpatient residential TBI Unit (MB2A), which helps ease the transition to a more independent setting.  As the patient prepares to leave the Program, vocational rehabilitation services, work preparation, or school activities are supported by the staff and other members of the rehabilitation team.

Care Coordinators work closely with their assigned patients throughout the rehabilitation process to ensure they are getting every treatment necessary to make the fullest recovery possible.  These Coordinators conduct follow-up assessments for patients after their discharge for a minimum of one year to support a seamless transition to home, work, school, or a return to active duty.

Rehabilitation Tools

The Memory Book: One unique tool developed by the TBI team that helps patients acquire the skills of normal daily life is a memory book. In the book, patients keep a schedule and write down reminders for themselves. As one former patient, Alec Giess, describes it, “You teach yourself something, then the next day you've got to teach it again. And again. And again." He wore a rubber band around his wrist to remind him to look in his book.

Driving Simulator: If the patient is cognitively and physically able to drive, the simulator helps the patient get ready for the road before actually going through on-the-road driver training. As a result of his training, Lance Corporal Henry Maldonado was able to pass his driving test and return to his unit at Camp Pendleton.