Palm Beach Vet Center
We offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-medical setting. Our services include counseling for needs such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). We can also connect you with more support in VA and your community.
Our commitment
- We offer a range of services, from talk therapy to recreational activities. Our team will work with you to identify your goals and make a plan to meet them. We'll help you and your family build meaningful connections to improve your quality of life.
- Our counseling is confidential. We won’t share any information about you or the services you receive without your permission—except in a life-threatening situation. Our records can't be accessed by other VA offices, the Defense Department, military units, or community providers.
- We encourage you to contact us, even if you're not sure you're eligible. We'll find a way to connect you with the help you need.
Locations and contact information
Main Location
Direct line
Hours
- Mon. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tue. 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Thu. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sat. Closed
- Sun. Closed
Other locations
Vet Centers are community based to be more accessible in areas where you live.
We also have non-traditional hours that change periodically given our community’s needs. Please call us to find out more.
Need help after hours?
Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.
Prepare for your visit
Select a topic to learn more.
First-time visitor? Stop by during our office hours or give us a call and let’s discuss how we can help.
Call 561-422-1201 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.
Walk-ins are welcome, although we’d prefer you have an appointment.
Any Veteran in crisis will be seen the same day. We offer some same-day services, call us for more information.
We understand that this may be a new experience for you. Here’s what you can expect on your first visit:
- We’ll ask you to complete an intake packet, which includes Vet Center confidentiality, demographic information, release of information (optional), and assessments as appropriate.
- We’ll evaluate you to make sure that you and those around you are safe.
- You and your counselor will begin to establish and develop a treatment plan that’s appropriate to your needs.
- We’ll schedule follow-up appointments as appropriate and as determined by your counselor.
We’re located on the south side of 10th Avenue in Greenacres, between Military Trail and Haverhill Road.
We’re close to the Haverhill intersection across from John Leonard High School.
We’re located in a plaza with a senior activity center and a laundromat, on the far right of the plaza closest to the highway.
There’s ample parking with reserved parking for Veterans and service members with disabilities, in the lot near the large American flag.
If you have problems finding our building, call us at 561-422-1201. We’ll gladly give you directions.
You don’t need to be registered for care at VA, rated for a service-connected disability, or receiving any other form of VA benefits. On your first visit, we’ll check for one or more of the following:
- Discharge documents (such as a DD214)
- Receipt of certain awards
- Deployment orders
- Other documents that show qualifying military service
Request your military service records online
If you don’t have these documents on hand, come in and we can work with you to establish your eligibility and answer any questions you might have.
You can access us through the Palm Beach Public Transportation Network (Palmtran).
Check the PalmTran routes and schedules
You can also call PalmTran at 561-841-4287.
They’re open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
In the spotlight
New Vet Centers and Satellite Locations Announced
To improve access to counseling, we are adding three Vet Centers and six satellite locations across the US and its territories. We will continue to expand our program to meet Veteran demand and provide local support to those who served.
All-eras Veteran walking group resumes at Okeeheelee Park
We invite Veterans and service members of all ages and eras to join us for connection and camaraderie on Fridays at the park. Please call us at 561-422-1201, and we’ll be happy to give you details.
Ongoing weekly creative art class
We’ll be hosting a painting creative art group on Fridays. All Veterans and service members who would like to benefit from the creative process of painting are invited to attend. For more information, call us at 561-422-1201.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We have a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) on-site to offer family and couples counseling.
We also offer spouse and significant other groups.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
Bereavement counseling (also sometimes called “grief counseling”) provides assistance and support for people going through emotional and psychological stress after the death of a loved one. Bereavement counseling includes a broad range of transition services, including outreach, counseling, and referral services to family members at no cost.
If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died while serving our country or a family member of a Veteran who was receiving Vet Center services at the time of the Veteran’s death, we're here to offer bereavement counseling to you.
If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger, or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. We’ll work with you to help you achieve your personal goals.
We offer individual and group counseling.
Our specialty care includes the following groups:
- Era-specific groups (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq)
- Female Veteran groups
- Veteran book club and creative art classes
- Peer-support groups to educate all Veterans and service members on VA benefits and initiatives that are available
- Tai-chi classes
- Stroll for well-being stress reduction sessions
The most effective treatment method is the one that works best for you and moves you to a place of healing and personal growth. We provide the following treatments:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Grief counseling
If you experienced sexual assault or harassment during military service, we can help you get the counseling you need. Any Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, who experienced military sexual trauma is eligible to receive counseling. This applies to people of all genders from any service era.
Nobody joins the military with thoughts that they’ll be sexually harassed, sexually abused, objectified, or made to feel less than human. The sense of betrayal at the hands of your “military family” is traumatic. Left untreated, it can affect your ability to thrive.
The most effective treatment is one that suits you best. We offer treatment modalities such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which will help you to process memories of your trauma and confront the emotions that come from those memories.
We have both male and female counselors trained to help you overcome the trauma of MST.
Note: If you're uncomfortable identifying as someone who has experienced MST, call us, and we can schedule you without asking for additional personal information.
If you have symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event, we can help. We offer assessment and support through private counseling and group therapy. We can also refer you to VA or community counseling for treatment and therapy resources.
Trauma can happen to anyone at any time. Whether it’s related to combat, sexual assault, or other life-threatening experiences, trauma can reemerge in difficult ways. The human brain will not allow these memories to go unaddressed no matter how hard we try to stuff them down or push them aside.
These memories, and the emotions that come with them, will often come out in the form of anxiety, depression, or outright anger. You don’t have to suffer alone. All of our counselors are trained to help you overcome the memories and emotions associated with your traumatic event(s).
The most effective treatment method is the one that works best for you and moves you to a place of healing and personal growth. We provide the following treatments:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Mindfulness-focused individual or group counseling
Play a video to learn more about Cognitive Processing Therapy
Play a video to learn more about Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD
If you’re returning from military service, we’ll help you transition to civilian life. We can connect you with educational and career counseling, mental health services, and other programs and benefits that will support your transition.
We offer peer support groups that provide education and connection to help in your transition from deployment or leaving the military. These peer groups can help with the following:
- VA benefits and initiatives
- Connection to resources in the community
- Employment assistance
- State and local Veterans Service Officers in your community
Supporting you in your transition from military service to civilian life is what we do best. We're available to help you find your footing after your military service.
Referral services
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We can help you overcome substance use problems, from unhealthy alcohol use to life-threatening addiction. We'll connect you to services for your specific needs.
We can provide screenings for substance use for you, as well as referrals to local Veteran-focused resources. We can connect you with both VA and community organizations.
If you need additional support with substance use, we encourage you to contact the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center's Substance Use Clinic at 561-422-8234.
Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 to get support anytime day or night. This service is private, free, and available 24/7. Our Vet Center can also connect you with ongoing counseling and services.
If you prefer, you can also text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
Our counselors and outreach specialists are ready to help connect you to community resources.
This may include assisting you with connections for these topics:
- Veteran housing
- Assistance for homeless Veterans
- Employment assistance
- Veteran rehabilitation and education (VR&E)
- Local food pantries or low-cost food distribution centers
- State and local Veterans Service Officers or Veteran-centric organizations
Other services
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We provide private organizations and community agencies education on our Veteran community and military culture. Together, we build referral networks to expand support for Veterans, service members, and their families.
We have strong connections to the City of Greenacres, Palm Beach, and other local municipalities, as well as to the Veterans and service members who live here.
Our Veterans Outreach Program Specialist meets with the Palm Beach Veterans Coalition and attends numerous community outreach events each year. We also work to expand our partnerships to help Veterans and service members find the resources they need. Please call us if you would like to learn more.
How Vet Centers are different than a medical clinic
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Vet Centers are small, non-medical, counseling centers conveniently located in your community. They’re staffed by highly trained counselors and team members dedicated to seeing you through the challenges that come with managing life during and after the military.
Whether you come in for one-on-one counseling or to participate in a group session, at Vet Centers you can form social connections, try new things, and build a support system with people who understand you and want to help you succeed.
You may be eligible for Vet Center services no matter your discharge status or eligibility for VA health care. And we encourage you to contact us, even if you’re not sure if you’re eligible. If we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who can.
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re eligible if you meet any of these service requirements:
- You served on active duty in any combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You provided mortuary services or direct emergency medical care to treat the casualties of war while on active duty, or
- You were a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You served on active duty in response to a national emergency or major disaster declared by the president, or under orders of the governor or chief executive of a state in response to a disaster or civil disorder, or
- You’re a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, or
- You’re a current member of the Reserve Component assigned to a military command in a drill status, including active Reserves, and you need to address a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma that is related to your military service
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re also eligible for Vet Center services if any of these descriptions is true for you:
- You’re a Vietnam Era Veteran who used Vet Center services before January 2, 2013, or
- You experienced military sexual trauma (no matter your gender or service era), or
- You currently use any covered VA educational assistance benefits
What are the covered educational assistance benefits?
- Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty
- Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
- Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Remember: You don’t need to be enrolled in VA health care to be eligible for Vet Center services. You don’t need to have a service-connected disability. And you can have any character of discharge.
You can use our counseling and other support services when your participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or service member in your family. If the Veteran or service member considers you family, so do we.
You can also use our bereavement services if any of these descriptions is true for your family:
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The Veteran or service member died while serving on active duty, or
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The Veteran was using Vet Center services at the time of their death, or
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The Veteran or service member died by suicide
No. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or have a service-connected disability.
Safe and confidential. Our records can’t be accessed by other VA offices, the DoD, military units, or other community networks and providers without your permission or unless required to avert a life-threatening situation. Here, you can be as open as you want—there’s absolutely no judgment.
Call us at
Our confidential call center is staffed by combat Veterans from several eras and family members of Veterans.
You can talk to us about your military experience, issues around transitioning out of military service, or trauma. We’ll help connect you to resources and support at a Vet Center near you.