Kalispell Vet Center
We offer confidential assistance for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost and in a relaxed, non-medical setting. Our services include counseling for needs such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST), anxiety, addiction and marital strain. We also offer a myriad of recreational and social activities.
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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Parking is located in the front and back of the building. The parking lot can be accessed primarily from Meridian Road but also from Glenwood Road.
The closest parking is in the back of the building. Accessibility doors and parking are readily available.
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
- Military or VAMC I.D. card
Click here to request 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.
The Kalispell Vet Center offers appointments in several forms: in-person, telephone, and/or virtually through the VA Video Connect application. Same day appointments available upon request in most cases.
Individual sessions are also available in Eureka, and Polson MT via contract for fee providers in your community upon eligibility determination.
All initial appointments shall be conducted in-person to allow the counselor and client to build rapport and as a means of ensuring telephone or virtual services are appropriate.
To make an appointment please call the Kalispell Vet Center at
There are three local services available to get Veterans and service members to and from their appointments.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
- This service is provided in collaboration with the VA.
- To schedule transportation call
. - Free for Veterans.
- Needs 2-3 days notice.
Veteran Transportation Service (VTS)
- This service is provided through the VA.
- To schedule transportation, please call 406-447-6270.
- VTS requires 72 hour advanced notice for rides.
- You must already have an appointment before you call.
Mountain Climber
- Free public transportation provided by the City of Kalispell.
- To utilize this service call and schedule a ride or use the bus stops.
- To schedule a ride call
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.
Current Events & Recreational Therapy Activities (Contact us for more details)
Free
- Ski/Snowboard Weekends
- Indoor Archery Group Gathering
- Native American Sweats
- SCUBA Therapy
- Movie Discussion Gathering
- Bowling
Therapeutic groups: (Must meet a Vet Center Therapist prior to participating)
- Spousal and Caregiver Support
- Vietnam Groups
- Combat Support Groups
- Support Groups
- Combat Groups
- MST Support Group
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
The Kalispell Vet Center provides eligible Veterans, and in some cases their family members, a variety of direct psychological services. We strongly encourage spouse/significant other involvement in Veteran counseling as a resource that cannot be overlooked. Families are strongly encouraged to participate in the healing process for Veterans.
Groups:
- Spousal and Caregiver Support Group- Process/support group with psychoeducational component for spouses and caretakers of Veterans while addressing challenges and self care.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
Kalispell's support includes:
- Bereavement counseling for families after the death of an active duty service member
- Community referrals for bereavement counseling
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.
The Kalispell Vet Center is a safe environment for LGBTQIA + clients to help find support. The Vet Center networks with the VA and can connect the Veterans to an array of different support groups for the LGBTQIA community. Contact a counselor for more information.
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.
Groups:
- Combat Groups- War Experience- Established process/support group with psychoeducational component for Veterans who’ve been in combat operations
- You Are Not Alone Group- Established process/support group with psychoeducational component
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.
Military sexual trauma counseling may include individual or group counseling, marital and family counseling, referral for benefits assistance, liaison with community agencies or substance abuse information and referral to help you deal with the emotions of military sexual trauma and regain confidence in your everyday life.
Groups:
MST Support Group- Process/support group with MST psychoeducational component
If you’re a Veteran from a minority community, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
The Kalispell Vet Center works with the local tribes to provide the best support possible to the Native American community. The Vet Center also have a Tribal Veterans Representative who has been trained to better understand how to better support the Native communities.
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.
Treatment modalities currently offered included but not limited to:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT)
- Web Based Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (Webstair)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Groups
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.
Kalispell Vet Center personnel are knowledgeable on a wide range of benefits for Veterans and their families, including guidance regarding VA compensation and pension claims, retirement benefits, and survivor benefits.
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.
The Kalispell Vet Center has robust and expansive rec therapy and arts program to provide the most comprehensive and effective therapy for our Veterans including adaptive recreational opportunities.
Some activities the Vet Center hosts or participates in include but are not limited to: (Contact the Vet Center for more details)
- Ski/Snowboarding Weekends
- Indoor Archery Group Gathering
- Native American Sweats
- Whitewater Rafting
- Fly Fishing Trips
- Bowling
- Mountain Biking
- Painting
- Ceramics
- Golf
- Stand-up Paddle boarding
- Waterskiing/Wake boarding/Wake surfing
- Family Lake Day
- Kayaking
- SCUBA Therapy
- Movie Discussion Gathering
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.
Groups:
- Female Veteran Gathering- Female Veteran social hour for coffee and camaraderie
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.
Groups:
- Veterans in Recovery (VIR) Group- Attendees discuss staying active in recovery from addiction and brainstorm pitfalls as well as strategies to help foster long-term sobriety.
- Seeking Change- Attendees explore what better balance in their lives would look like, focus on addictions and harm-reduction, increasing motivation for change.
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
The Kalispell Vet Center has partnered with multiple organizations to help provide housing, job and educational assistance, and food. There are many resources available to help assist Veterans who are looking for support to get back to where they want to be.
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.
Suicide prevention and awareness classes and trainings are available to anyone in the community on a group and individual basis. We network and work with multiple resources in local and state agencies to provide the best and most effective suicide awareness and prevention for Veterans and the community. For more information contact Veteran Outreach Program Specialist Adam at
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
- Tuesday Support Group- Attendees check-in, sharing understanding and encouragement for each other, setting goals for themselves, and getting connected to supportive resources through community.
- Vietnam Combat Group- Process/support group with psychoeducational component while building a connection to supportive resources through community and camaraderie.
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.
The Kalispell co-chairs the Veteran Service Providers meeting addressing how to provide more support for Veterans in the community and educating and keeping everyone informed about what events and services are being offered for Veterans in the local and surrounding area.
We would also like to thank our supporters and community members/agencies who network with us to support our Veterans in the community.
We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
We’ll help you achieve your job and career goals. We can connect you with one-on-one support, counseling, and training.
The Kalispell Vet Center works with Veterans Upward Bound and VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment to provide the support Veterans need to successfully return to school and further their education.
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.