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Mental Health
You do not have to be in crisis to reach out. If stress, sleep, anger, grief, or just getting through the day has been harder lately, these are free places to start. Everything here links to an official page.
The Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day. You can reach it in three ways:
With hearing loss, VA says to call 711, then 988. Overseas, use the online chat.
In an emergency, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or go to any VA medical center. VA says your discharge status and whether you are enrolled in VA health care do not matter.
VA offers care for stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, thoughts of suicide, and substance use. That includes counseling and therapy, medicines, short hospital stays when needed, live-in treatment programs, and care by phone or video.
Who it is for: Veterans. VA says you do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to get mental health care in a crisis.
Contact: VA health benefits hotline: 877-222-8387
Community counseling centers that are separate from VA hospitals. They offer free, confidential individual, group, couples, and family counseling, help with the move back to civilian life, trauma and military sexual trauma counseling, grief counseling, and referrals to other benefits. Mobile Vet Centers reach people in distant communities.
Who it is for: Eligible veterans, service members including National Guard and Reserve, and their families.
Contact: Vet Center call center: 877-927-8387
A VA education and research center with plain-language information on PTSD and trauma, how treatment works, how to choose a treatment, and how families can help. It also has self-help tools, mobile apps, videos, and a tool to find a provider.
Who it is for: Veterans, service members, families, and friends.
Contact: Email: ncptsd@va.gov
VA provides free, confidential care for the effects of sexual assault or sexual harassment that happened during military service, no matter when it happened. A free self-help app, Beyond MST, offers coping tools without needing an account or any treatment.
Who it is for: Veterans and some former service members. Ask an MST Coordinator at a VA health care facility about eligibility and options.
Contact: Find an MST Coordinator: Coordinator list
VA treats everything from unhealthy use to addiction, with medicines to manage withdrawal and cravings, counseling and group support, and live-in programs. There are specialized programs for women veterans, returning combat veterans, and homeless veterans. Vet Centers can also provide a free alcohol and drug assessment to combat veterans.
Who it is for: Veterans with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or prescription medicine problems. VA says to apply for VA health care first, or call the number here.
Contact: VA benefits line: 800-827-1000
Support for the people who care for a veteran. The Caregiver Support Line can explain services, help with the caregiver program application, and connect you with your local Caregiver Support Program team. VA also lists peer support, health and wellbeing coaching, respite care, and training.
Who it is for: Family members and others caring for a veteran, and the veterans they care for.
Contact: Caregiver Support Line: 855-260-3274
Feel free to share this page or print it. Every program here links to its official source. You can also browse all benefits and nonprofits, filtered by state and topic, from the main menu.
Details on this page come from official VA pages reviewed on November 5, 2026. Phone hours and services can change, so check the official page before you rely on a number. Veteran Compass is independent and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It cannot provide emergency or medical help.