Wasilla Vet Center
The Wasilla Vet Center serves the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Virtual services are available for our extended areas in Talkeetna, Glennallen, Valdez, Bethel, and Southeast Alaska. We offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no-cost in a non-medical setting. Services include counseling for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, life stressors, readjustment to civilian life, and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). We also help with connections to VA and community partners.
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 4:30 p.m.
- Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 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
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- The Wasilla Vet Center is conveniently located off Bogard Road in the Bogard Professional Plaza.
- Free parking is in the front of the building.
- Wheelchair access is through the front of the building.
You do not 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 will look 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 also answer any questions you might have.
Making an appointment:
After your initial contact with the Wasilla Vet Center, the Vet Center Director will be notified to call you to schedule an appointment. You can expect a return call within 1-2 business days and we should be able to schedule your first appointment within 2-10 business days, depending on schedule availabilities.
Contacting us:
You can call us anytime during our posted hours of operation. If you need to call outside of those times, on weekends, or holidays, the Vet Center Call Center is available 24/7 at
Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment:
If you know you will miss an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran.
First-time visitor or walk-ins:
- If you are a first-time visitor, stop by during our office hours or call
to discuss how we can help. - Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
Transportation to Vet Center appointments can be arranged through the following local community resources:
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.
Veteran Groups, Activities & Classes
Come by to check out the exciting activities we have going on for Art Class, Fly Tying, Job Club and others! Read the Whole Health and Employment & Readiness sections below to learn more.
New Services to Help with Benefits-Related Questions!
See the Veteran Connection section below to learn more about staff from the Veterans Benefits Administration and Service Officers from Vietnam Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans, who are at the Vet Center to help.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
The Wasilla Vet Center has licensed social workers and counselors who provide couples counseling to support healthy relationship goals and family readjustment after military life and deployments.
We offer conjoint counseling for Veterans with their spouses or significant others.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
Wasilla Vet Center offers counseling and other support, such as:
- Bereavement counseling for families after the death of an active duty service member
- Grief counseling for families of Vet Center clients who pass away
- Grief counseling for families or caregivers of Veterans who die while in a VA facility
- Community referrals for bereavement counseling for adolescents
If you're a Veteran who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or a related identity, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
We serve all who served. We can help all eligible Veterans with counseling, therapy, support, case management, and referral services to meet specific needs.
We also work closely with LGBTQIA+ service providers at the Alaska VA Healthcare System and other community partners, and we can make a direct referrals. For additional information- VA Alaska Health Care | Veterans Affairs
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.
Individual therapy and counseling are offered for a wide array of mental health concerns ranging from adjustment problems, transitioning to civilian life, returning from deployment, depressive symptoms, anxiety, managing stress, relationship difficulties, and sleep problems, to MST and PTSD.
Specialty services are offered in a respectful manner to all BIPoC and LGBTQIA+ Veterans and family members.
At the Wasilla Vet Center we offer the following specialized treatment modalities:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
- Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT)
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.
The Wasilla Vet Center has counselors who utilize a trauma-informed care approach to provide therapy and supportive services to MST survivors.
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.
We are currently in the planning stage for a PTSD Support Group. Please let us know what you'd like to see from a group designed for Warriors supporting Warriors. Call the Vet Center for more information!
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.
Whole health puts you—instead of your illnesses or conditions—at the center of care. We’ll work with you to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals.
Recreational, Whole-Health, and Peer Groups at the Vet Center
Art Class:
- On the first & third Monday of every month, we have a Veteran instructor-led Art Class from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Learn how to sketch, water color, paint, and more! We will provide snacks and refreshments. Call or come by to reserve your slot!
Project Healing Waters Fly Tying Clinic:
- Join us on the first & third Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. for fly tying, rod building, casting, fishing education, and camaraderie. Project Healing Waters also offers outside activities such as float tubing lessons, family fishing picnics, holiday celebrations, casting competitions, and fishing trips.
Yoga:
temporarily suspended - we will provide updates when classes re-start.
Role-Playing Table-Top Games:
- Fridays 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Call or come by to sign up for any of our classes or groups, or to get more information!
If you’re a woman Veteran transitioning to civilian life, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
The Wasilla Vet Center proudly welcomes eligible female active duty service members and Veterans. We offer services in a sensitive and safe environment for counseling, therapy, support, and referral services to meet their unique needs.
We also work closely with the Women Veterans Health Program Manager and service providers at the Alaska VA Healthcare System and can make a direct referrals. For more information - VA Alaska Health Care | Veterans Affairs
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.
At the Wasilla Vet Center, we provide long-term supportive care to help Veterans and service members overcome underlying issues.
We refer Veterans and service members struggling with addiction to the Alaska VA Healthcare System and other community partners for primary addiction treatment, detoxification, stabilization.
For aftercare, maintenance and support, we offer a Peer Co-facilitated Veteran Recovery Support Group. Meetings are held every Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call for referral or more information.
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
If you need immediate assistance, call: National Call Center for Homeless Veterans - VA Homeless Programs
For more information- VA Alaska Health Care | Veterans Affairs
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.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
For help with or questions about Veterans benefits and assistance with claims:
There are Veteran Service Officers and/or Public Contacts on-site:
- Veteran Service Officer from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. His direct phone number is:
. - Public Contact staff member from the Veterans Benefits Administration, Wednesdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Veteran Service Officer from the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. His direct phone number is:
.
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’ll help you achieve your job and career goals. We can connect you with one-on-one support, counseling, and training.
For help with employment, we offer:
Job Club with the Alaska VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Services team on Tuesdays from 11:00 a.m. to noon.
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:
-
The Veteran or service member died while serving on active duty, or
-
The Veteran was using Vet Center services at the time of their death, or
-
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.