Veteran Benefits
Mental Health Care & Vet Centers
The VA provides mental health care for the wounds that do not show - PTSD, depression, grief, and the lasting effects of military sexual trauma. Alongside the medical system, Vet Centers offer free, confidential counseling in the community, with records kept separate from your VA file so you can speak freely.
Who this is for
The hardest wounds to talk about are the ones no one can see. The VA - and especially the community-based Vet Centers - offer free, confidential help for PTSD, grief, and military sexual trauma, with counseling kept separate from your medical file so you can finally speak freely.
In plain language
What Mental Health Care & Vet Centers covers
- VA mental health treatment for PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, and substance use
- Free MST-related care for every veteran, no rating or proof required
- Free, confidential Vet Center readjustment counseling in the community
- Counseling for family members and how to reach help in a crisis
Mental Health & Vet CentersOfficial video - U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs
5 things most veterans aren't aware of
These apply to nearly every VA claim - and they change how much you get and when.
Your filing date sets your back pay
Benefits are generally paid back to the day you file - not the day you are approved. Filing an intent to file today can protect months, even years, of retroactive pay.
One condition can trigger others (secondary claims)
A service-connected condition that causes another - like sleep apnea from PTSD, or a bad knee from a bad hip - can be rated on its own. Each secondary condition adds to your rating.
A medical nexus is what wins the claim
The VA needs a documented link between your condition and your service. A clear nexus opinion is often the difference between an approval and a denial.
Accredited help is free to file an initial claim
By law, an accredited agent cannot charge a fee to prepare and file your original claim. If someone asks for money up front to file, that is a red flag.
A denial is not the end of the road
You have three appeal lanes - Higher-Level Review, a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, and the Board of Veterans Appeals. Many denials are overturned on review.
Free
MST-related care for every veteran - no rating or proof required
Confidential
Vet Center records are kept separate from your VA medical file
988 press 1
Veterans Crisis Line - free and confidential, 24/7
The full picture
Everything you need to know
Nothing hidden behind a click, and nothing you have to go looking for on another website. Here is the whole story in plain language - the facts and the figures first - so you can decide what fits your situation.
Key facts & current figures
- Every enrolled veteran can get VA mental health care - for PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, substance use, and more - and care for military sexual trauma (MST) is free to every veteran regardless of discharge status, disability rating, or enrollment (38 U.S.C. 1720D).
- Vet Centers are separate, community-based offices that provide free, confidential readjustment counseling - and their records are kept apart from your VA medical file.
- Vet Center help is open to combat veterans, MST survivors, and their families regardless of era or rating - you do not need a VA disability rating to be seen.
- You do not need to have reported MST or have proof it happened to receive MST-related care - the VA provides it either way.
- In crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is 988, then press 1 (or text 838255) - free and confidential, 24/7. The Vet Center Call Center is 1-877-927-8387, also 24/7.
General figures, current as of December 2025 and reviewed each year. Your exact amount depends on your situation - always confirm on va.gov.
What VA mental health care covers
- Treatment for PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, insomnia, anger, and substance use, delivered by VA clinics, telehealth, and inpatient programs when needed.
- Specialized PTSD programs and evidence-based therapies, plus medication management when appropriate.
- Same-day access to urgent mental health needs is available at VA medical centers - you do not have to wait for an appointment when things are bad.
Military sexual trauma (MST) care
- Care for the mental and physical health effects of MST is free to every veteran, regardless of gender, discharge status, disability rating, or whether you are enrolled in VA health care.
- You do not need to have reported the trauma at the time, and you do not need documentation that it occurred.
- MST care is available at VA medical centers and, for counseling, at Vet Centers - ask for an MST coordinator if you want a specific point of contact.
Why Vet Centers are different
- Vet Centers are storefront offices in the community, not inside VA hospitals, created specifically for readjustment counseling after combat and other service.
- Their counseling records are kept separate from the VA electronic medical record, which is why many veterans feel safer opening up there.
- They serve combat veterans, MST survivors, certain support-role and disaster-response service members, and family members - and bereavement counseling is available to families of those who died in service.
Help right now
- Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1 (text 838255, or chat online) - free, confidential, and staffed 24/7. You do not need to be enrolled in VA care to use it.
- Vet Center Call Center: 1-877-927-8387 - talk to a fellow veteran any time and get connected to your nearest Vet Center.
- If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Your complete benefit picture
You can speak freely
Vet Center counseling is community-based and kept separate from your VA medical record - and care for military sexual trauma is free to every veteran, whether or not you ever reported it. Reaching out is a sign of strength.
Two ways to move forward — both free
Not sure if this applies to you?
Ask our free assistant a few plain questions and get an honest read on what you and your family may qualify for, at no cost. It takes just a few minutes, and there is no sign-up and no obligation of any kind. You will get a clear, plain-language picture of where you stand and what might be worth filing. And if you would rather talk to a real person, an accredited agent is only a message away.
Have a question? Get free information
Ask a question, learn what you may be owed, or find out where you stand. Confidential, free, and no obligation to go any further.
Ready to hire us? Register
Decided you want us to work your claim? Registering is free — we match you with an accredited advocate and get you started. We cannot begin until you sign VA Form 21-22a, and fees, if any, are always disclosed up front.
Please hear this
MST care is free to every veteran - no report, no proof, no rating needed
The shame around military sexual trauma keeps too many veterans silent. Care for its effects is free to every veteran, of any gender.
You do not need to have reported it, you do not need documentation, and you do not need to be service-connected.
It will not hurt your claim
Vet Center counseling is deliberately kept separate from your VA medical file.
Help any time
Vet Center Call Center 1-877-927-8387, and the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, then press 1.
A clear path forward
Your step-by-step action plan
No rush and no pressure - but a little order helps. Applying is always free.
FIG. 01 - Gather your paperwork
In crisis now
Call 988, then press 1
The Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential, and staffed 24/7 - you need not be enrolled in VA care.
FIG. 02 - Fill out the form
To talk it through
Reach a Vet Center
Call 1-877-927-8387 any time for free, confidential readjustment counseling - no referral or rating needed.
FIG. 03 - File the claim
For ongoing care
Ask the VA for mental health
Enroll in VA health care and request a referral, or walk into any VA medical center for same-day urgent needs.
FIG. 04 - After you file
For MST
Ask for an MST coordinator
Request MST-specific care at a VA medical center or Vet Center - it is free regardless of your circumstances.
Who to call & where to go
These are free, official VA lines. Have your Social Security number handy when you call.
Vet Center Call Center
Free counseling and readjustment support at community Vet Centers.
Veterans Crisis Line
Free, confidential support 24/7. You do not have to be enrolled in VA care.
Rather have us handle it?
No phone tag, no hold music. Call our office and a real, VA-accredited person walks you through it - start to finish.
702-992-4883Not sure where to start?
For medical mental health care, enroll in VA health care and ask your primary care team for a referral, or walk into any VA medical center. For Vet Center counseling, call the Vet Center Call Center at 1-877-927-8387 (24/7) or contact your local Vet Center directly - no referral or rating needed. In a crisis, call 988 and press 1 right now.
More benefits for veterans
These often go hand in hand - tap any card to learn more.
Free information — get a free benefit review
Tell us how to reach you and an accredited team member will help you understand this benefit and claim everything you have earned. No cost, no obligation.
Ready to hire us? Register with us
For veterans who’ve decided they want us on their claim — registering is free too, and it does not make you our client or obligate you to anything. Here is exactly how it works:
- You register. This simply starts the conversation — you are not our client yet, and you owe us nothing.
- You sign and return VA Form 21-22a. It appoints us as your accredited representative and gives us access to your VA file.
- Once we have your signed 21-22a and access to your case, we verify everything is in order.
It involves the registration form and signing VA Form 21-22a — by law we can’t accept your claim, work on it, or contact the VA for you until that power of attorney is signed. You decide whether to move forward.
Official VA links
Answers, in plain language
Common questions about Mental Health Care & Vet Centers
What is Mental Health Care & Vet Centers?
The VA provides mental health care for the wounds that do not show - PTSD, depression, grief, and the lasting effects of military sexual trauma. Alongside the medical system, Vet Centers offer free, confidential counseling in the community, with records kept separate from your VA file so you can speak freely.
Who qualifies for Mental Health Care & Vet Centers?
This benefit is generally for: Veteran, Service member, Family member. VA mental health treatment for PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, and substance use Free MST-related care for every veteran, no rating or proof required
How do I apply for Mental Health Care & Vet Centers?
For medical mental health care, enroll in VA health care and ask your primary care team for a referral, or walk into any VA medical center. For Vet Center counseling, call the Vet Center Call Center at 1-877-927-8387 (24/7) or contact your local Vet Center directly - no referral or rating needed. In a crisis, call 988 and press 1 right now.
What does it cost to get help with Mental Health Care & Vet Centers, and are you VA-accredited?
Two barriers keep veterans from getting help they have earned. The first is the fear that asking will hurt a claim or go on a permanent record - Vet Center counseling is deliberately kept separate from your VA medical file. The second is shame around MST; please hear this clearly - MST care is free to every veteran, of any gender, whether or not you ever reported it and whether or not you are service-connected. It is free to talk with us, and no one may charge you to file a first-time VA claim. The Aging Veteran is led by Albert L. Thombs Jr., a VA-accredited claims agent (accreditation #45147) and disabled veteran; any appeal work is handled on a no-fee-unless-you-win basis.
