Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders System of Care

The Augusta VA Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCI/D) Center was designed and dedicated specifically to serve the health care needs of Veterans with SCI/D. It has been expanded and remodeled over time to ensure that it meets this goal.

We have a variety of specialized services to meet the needs of Veterans with SCI/D including an assistive technology lab, driver training, an aquatic therapy center for inpatients, adaptive sports and recreation, vocational rehabilitation, and seating and mobility clinic.

Our inpatient unit has 71 beds including private and semi-private rooms. We have Internet access and the inpatient unit beds have individual TVs and hands-free electronic aids to help with daily activities.

Our inpatient unit and outpatient clinics are in Bldg. 509 at the Downtown facility of the Augusta VA Health Care System. The Augusta VA Health Care System is also referred to as the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center which as two campuses, Uptown and Downtown.

The VA Augusta Health Care System Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI/D) Center is one of 25 VA SCI/D Centers across the country. Our Center is affiliated with Augusta University’s health care training programs including Medical College of Georgia, College of Nursing and College of Allied Health Sciences and provides training for the students who are the future of health care. In addition, we have a strong relationship with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Southeastern Chapter. We serve eligible Active-Duty Members and Veterans with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) including Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

We are in the Downtown facility of the Augusta VA Health Care System located at:
950 15th St.
Augusta, GA, 30904
Get directions on Google Maps

The Augusta VA Health Care System is also known as the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center.

Parking for patients and visitors at the Augusta VA SCI/D Center, is located at the SCI/D entrance and on the first floor of the employee parking deck. An SCI Parking permit is available in the SCI Administrative office for patient and visitor parking. Valet parking is also available at the main entrance of the hospital.

An assistive technology lab and driving simulator are in the SCI/D center and a wellness center with accessible exercise equipment, and an accessible aquatic therapy center are available for use by our patients. The center is staffed by interdisciplinary teams of experts who utilize a rehabilitation model of healthcare with a primary care focus. The staff takes pride in providing lifelong, comprehensive, personalized care that extends from the hospital into the home and community.

The Augusta VA SCI/D Center serves as a Hub Site for VA Medical Centers with smaller SCI/D teams called Spokes.

We work closely with our Spokes to provide coordinated and integrated primary and specialty services. These are coordinated through Our Center to Spoke sites at the following locations:
- Atlanta VA - Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center
- Dublin VA- Carl Vinson VA Medical Center
- Columbia VA William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center
- Charleston VA Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
- Asheville VA- Charles George VA Medical Center
- Montgomery and Tuskegee VA Central Alabama VA Medical Center
- Mountain Home VA - James H. Quillen VA Medical Center
Other SCI/D Spokes that sometimes work with our Center
- Birmingham, AL- Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Fayetteville, NC- Fayetteville VA Medical Center
- Salisbury, NC- W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center
- Tuscaloosa, AL- Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center

If you have questions about care at the Augusta VA SCI/D Center or you want to find out about transferring a patient into the Center,
Contact us by phone at (706)733-0188, ext. 33043 or 33050.

Our team is dedicated to excellence in providing comprehensive, integrated rehabilitation and state of the art health care and treatment for Veterans with SCI/D.

We promote mobilization, maximal independence, health promotion, prevention of secondary conditions, activity, productivity, attainment of vocational pursuits, and the highest quality of life.

Our program uses the rehabilitation model of health care. We have an emphasis on patient and family education, self-reliance, independence, and optimism about the future. The unique qualities and determinants of health, needs, and choices of each Veteran and their family are embraced and addressed within a supportive community atmosphere.

Our staff have achieved high levels of expertise in SCI/D care and takes pride in providing lifelong, comprehensive, personalized care that extends from the hospital into the home and community.

We care for Veterans with SCI/D through their entire lives including right after their injury and during rehabilitation
We also care for Veterans with SCI/D:
- who need require ventilatory management and weaning
- ventilatory management and weaning
- preparing for their return to the community, including help getting back to work
- primary care
- medical and surgical management
- comprehensive wound care
- respite

The Augusta VA SCI/D Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and Joint Commission.

An interdisciplinary team is important for successful outcomes. At the center of the team and the most important member is you and your family. Working alongside and supporting you will be a team that includes:

Primary care physicians, Physician Assistants, and Nurse Practitioners who will provide ongoing care throughout the rehabilitation process. They will communicate regularly with you, your family, and the rest of the rehabilitation team to ensure that you have the most comprehensive care plan possible. As a result, your care team will grow and or become smaller as you progress through your care plan.

Registered Nurses (RNs) combine traditional patient care skills with expertise in rehabilitation by managing complex medical issues, collaborating with other specialties, providing ongoing patient/caregiver education, setting goals for maximal independence, and establishing plans of care to maintain optimal wellness. The nursing team also includes wound care specialists and a telehealth RN coordinator.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) function as part of the interdisciplinary nursing team having the knowledge and ability to appropriately carryout patient care based on patient conditions. LPNs also ensure the physical and emotional environment is consistent with the vision for veteran/family centered care.

Health Technicians (HTs) work includes a very wide range of duties and responsibilities involving different and unrelated processes and methods. These include responsibility for patient care, diagnostic support, therapeutic and rehabilitative procedures, patient, and family education. HTs also utilize complex and technologically advanced equipment while performing their duties.

Physical Therapists provide services to help restore your maximum function through increasing mobility and strength and decreasing pain. Treatment may include muscle re-education, mobility training, gait training; wheelchair seating and mobility; therapeutic exercise; pain relief practice; and other appropriate treatment techniques.

Occupational Therapists help you regain the ability to do normal everyday tasks. This may be achieved by restoring old skills or helping you learn new skills, or by helping with a variety of adaptive equipment, orthotics, and home modifications.

Recreational Therapists meet with you to assess your skills and abilities while addressing your interests and needs, paying special attention to the different kinds of things you like to do for leisure and productivity activities. Personalized treatment plans are developed to address physical, social, and emotional needs and to help you return to familiar, or develop new, leisure activities while integrating back into the community.

A Social Worker/RN case manager will help you with many aspects of care, such as preparing and implementing your discharge plan, arranging meetings with you and your family, arranging a schedule for family training days and working with other interdisciplinary team members.

A Psychologist trained to assess and treat the many challenges facing spinal cord injured patients and their families. Psychologists provide clinical and counseling services for coping and adjustment to traumatic injury/illness. Psychologists work with you and your family to identify and address specific issues (e.g.: mood/emotions, stress management, body image, quality of life, etc.) that may prevent you and your family from achieving the highest level of functioning after injury.

A Speech Therapist helps you swallow, communicate, and improve your thinking skills. These goals may be achieved by learning new techniques, using individualized strategies, and/or using adaptive equipment.

A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist who can help you achieve career, independent living, social, and psychological goals.

The VA Augusta Health Care System SCI/D Center is a CARF accredited rehabilitation center.

We provide acute and sub-acute rehabilitation for Veterans and Active-Duty Military with injury or disorders of the spinal cord in the Southeast United State including Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, parts of North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee.

Your acute rehabilitation care will be under the direction of physicians with experience in SCI/D and will include a comprehensive and intensive interdisciplinary team approach. The interdisciplinary team will incorporate goals into a personalized treatment plan specific to you. This care is coordinated so that a 24/7 therapeutic environment is created and implemented. You can expect to receive 15 hours of interdisciplinary therapy per week, or 3 hours per day depending on individual needs and endurance.

The focus of care for the patients admitted for rehabilitation is to facilitate achievement of each patient’s goals of care while maximizing medical, functional, psychological, and social functioning.

The Sustaining care program focuses on the unique medical needs of Veterans with SCI/D when inpatient care is required. Annual evaluations, surgical interventions, wound management, or respite are some inpatient services available to Veterans with SCI/D.

Based on your needs, we also collaborate with subspecialty services including urology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery, internal medicine, podiatry, and palliative care. If other specialized diagnostic, surgical, medical, or emergent care is needed, this is readily available and accessed onsite at the Downtown campus.

If you live a distance away and want to be accompanied by your family and/or caregivers during your stay here, arrangements can be made for them to stay at the Augusta VA Fisher House, located at the Uptown campus.

Our Augusta VA SCI/D Outpatient Primary Care Team uses an integrated approach to provide comprehensive, coordinated, and individualized health care.

We focus on SCI/D issues as well as primary health care. The emphasis is on wellness, prevention of complications, achievement of maximum function, and quality of life.

Physical, social, and mental health care is provided by our team that includes SCI/D physicians and nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, psychologists, physical, occupational, and recreational therapists, a pharmacist, a dietician, speech therapist, assistive technology specialist, and a vocational rehabilitation specialist.

You will be seen regularly by the same team so that we will know you and your health history. We provide comprehensive annual health care check-ups as well as appointments for follow-up of specific needs. We also provide:
- Education regarding SCI/D and general health care issues
- Medication
- Medical supplies and equipment needs
- Telephone consultation
- Consultation with other providers


Outpatient Clinic hours are 7:30am to 4:00pm. Monday – Friday. Walk in appointments are accommodated as the provider schedule allows.

Appointments in these clinics can be scheduled based on your individual needs. The specialty clinics consist of:
- Psychology
- Sexuality
- Telehealth
- Spasticity management
- Seating and Mobility Clinic
- Urology and Urodynamics/Procedures Clinic
- Wound Clinic
- Bowel and Bladder Clinic
- Driver’s rehabilitation

Our Augusta VA SCI/D Home Care Program helps with transition from the rehabilitation setting to the home environment. The Augusta VA SCI/D Home Care Program provides a full interdisciplinary team that consists of SCI/D physicians and Nurse Practitioners, registered nurses, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a social worker, a pharmacist, and a dietitian. The team focuses their care on promotion, maintenance, and restoration of optimal function and independence of the veteran in the home and community. Individuals who live within 100 miles of the Augusta VA Health Care System and are seen regularly at the Augusta VA SCI/D Center may be eligible for services provided by the Home Care Program.

After an initial assessment by the Augusta VA SCI/D Home Care staff, Veterans work closely with the team to identify any issues and to set goals. When the goals are achieved or are no longer relevant, individuals will be discharged from the Home Care Program and continue their care through the Augusta VA SCI/D Outpatient Clinic.

Whole Health is VA’s approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. This means your health team will get to know you as a person, before working with you to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals.

At the Augusta VA SCI/D Center, we embrace Whole Heath through your journey. Your Personal Health Plan is built around your immediate and long-term goals from acute rehabilitation to annual wellness checks and through life’s transitions.

Our interdisciplinary, team-based approach encompasses medical, physical, behavioral, and social drivers that influence individual and community health.

VA staff and Veteran peers can also support you on your Whole Health journey too. Learn about Whole Health practices from other Veterans through the Introduction to Whole Health and Taking Charge of My Life and Health courses. Find the Whole Health contact at your VA here:
Whole Health Facility Contacts.

We take referrals from VA and non-VA facilities. Referrals can be made by fax or phone call to the RN Admissions Coordinator for discussion (706-733-0188, ext. 33048). Family may also contact the RN Admissions Coordinator to inquire about eligibility to the inpatient program. Our team will review and notify you of the decision and recommendations.

We will contact patients near their date of admission for preadmission screening and review of the SCI process. Special mode transportation may be arranged for patients who qualify. On-site accommodations (Fisher House) to support family and caregivers may be available. All patients, family, and visitors are required to comply with current VA Augusta Health Care System and SCI/D policies. Children under 18 who are visiting are required to be accompanied by an adult who is not the patient. Instruction regarding visiting will be provided during the preadmission screening.

What to bring to your admission:
- List of the current medications you take, including vitamins and supplements
- Copy of your Advance Directive, if you have one
- Any medical equipment used for mobility such as manual or power wheelchairs
- Any medical equipment used for daily routine such as splints, braces, or adapted utensils
- Toiletries, e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, lotions, Chapstick, shaving razor
- Personal electronics, such as cell phones, iPad, laptop, and chargers
- Comfortable clothing, such as sweatpants, shirts, sweater, socks. A washer and dryer are available for your use. *Please be sure to label everything with your name

Please do NOT bring:
- Smoking materials. All VA facilities are Smoke Free facilities.
- Valuables (i.e. money, credit cards, etc)
- Alcohol, or other drugs
- Weapons, knives, or firearms
- Medications and supplements-these will be provided during your admission

We provide annual comprehensive preventative health evaluations for Veterans with SCI/D.

This evaluation can be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis depending on your needs.

The annual evaluation addresses spinal cord injury and disorder issues including, mobility, self-management with daily living activities, bowel and bladder management and wellness health care areas such as cardiovascular, skin, respiratory, and sexual health, as well as other medical, therapy and psychosocial needs. Equipment needs are evaluated by physical and occupational therapists.

Equipment needs to improve function are evaluated by physical and occupational therapists.

Activity and participation including community integration are evaluated by recreational therapists.

SCI/D annual evaluations emphasize prevention of complications, early identification of problems, and continuance of optimal health. Both inpatient and outpatient annual evaluations are prescheduled to ensure the check-up is efficient, effective, and comprehensive.

Persons eligible for admission to Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder include:
- Active Military Duty Members
- Service-Connected Veterans
- Non-Service-Connected Veterans

We serve people with the following conditions:
- Traumatic spinal cord injuries
- Vascular insults to the spinal cord
- Degenerative spine disease resulting in neurologic deficit
- Cauda equina syndrome producing neurologic deficits
- Inflammatory or infectious diseases of the spine or spinal cord resulting in neurologic deficits
- Demyelinating diseases of the spinal cord
- Intra-spinal neoplasms resulting in neurologic deficits

Our SCI/D Center does not serve people with the following conditions, although they can be served by other care providers within VA:
- Intracranial Etiologies. Quadriparesis or other paralytic conditions due to intracranial processes such as traumatic brain injury, brainstem, or cerebrovascular accident.
- Peripheral Neuromuscular Processes. Sensory and motor impairments due to peripheral nerve pathologies such as diabetic neuropathy or other peripheral neuropathies, Guillain-Barre, plexopathies, muscular dystrophies, myasthenia gravis or myopathies.
- No Spinal Cord Involvement. Etiologies and diseases that do not involve the spinal cord.

We offer patient education classes on SCI/D topics. Classes are offered virtually every Thursday from 2 PM to 3PM or in person in the Rehab Dayroom.

Topics covered include but are not limited to:
- Autonomic Dysreflexia
- What is an SCI/D
- Bowel Care
- Bladder Management
- Skin Management
- Safety in the Home and Community
- Emergency Preparedness
- Medication Management
- Coping after an SCI/D
- Nutrition and Fitness
- Recreation and Sports

Our Hub and Spokes system provides quality care for approximately 2100 individuals. This means we are one of the largest Centers in the VA SCI/D System of care.

Veterans with SCI/D tend to be older compared to those in the private sector. Our comprehensive services and long term follow up care support favorable outcomes for these Veterans.

92% of our patients surveyed in 2024 reported overall satisfaction with services received while participating in the inpatient rehabilitation program at the Augusta VA SCI/D Center.