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Rapid City Vet Center

Small group of diverse Veterans talking and smiling with a Vet center counselor, American flag in the background.

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

21 East Omaha Street
Rapid City, SD 57701

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 6:00 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
21 East Omaha St., Rapid City, SD 57701

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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First-time visitor? Give us a call and let's discuss how we can help. Call 605-348-0077 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.  

Some services are available on a walk-in basis. Anyone in crisis will be seen the same day.

Here's what you can expect on your first counseling appointment with us: 

  • We'll evaluate you to make sure that you and those around you are safe.
  • You and your counselor will start to create a treatment plan that works with your needs.  
  • We'll schedule follow-up appointments as appropriate and as determined by you and your counselor.

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) or an active military ID
  • 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.

We're located in a standalone building. Parking is on the east side of the building. Accessible parking is located in the same area. When you come to the front entrance of the building, there's a doorbell off to the left. Please push this and someone will let you into the building.

With South Dakota's adverse weather, we work hard to to make sure it's safe during snow and ice events. Please feel free to call us if you need assistance to and from your vehicle. 

There are 2 local services available to help with transportation: 

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. 

Project Healing Waters Group

We partnered with Project Healing Waters to offer a fly fishing group for our clients. Join us on Wednesdays at  9:30 a.m. to connect with others to learn how to tie flies and make a fly fishing rod. Call for more information 605-348-0077. 

What others are saying

Learn from other Veterans about their experiences at Vet Centers.

Counseling services

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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.

We have counselors who can provide these types of services:

  • Individual counseling for Veterans’ spouses, significant others, and children 
  • Couples counseling

If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.

Bereavement counseling is help and support for people with emotional and psychological stress after the death of a loved one. Bereavement counseling includes a broad range of therapeutic services, including outreach, counseling, and referral services to family members.

We offer bereavement counseling to family members of service members who died while serving on active duty or to family members of Veterans who were receiving services at the time of their death.

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. 

We have groups such as these:

  • Men’s Vietnam Veterans support group
  • Women’s support group
  • Garden group
  • Project Healing Waters Group

And we offer evidence-based therapies such as these:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing  (EMDR)

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.

Our counselors use a trauma-informed care approach to provide therapy and supportive services to those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST). Currently, all our counselors are female.  

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 offer individual and group counseling. 

We have groups such as these:

  • Men’s Vietnam Veterans support group
  • Women’s support group
  • Garden group
  • Project Healing Waters Group

And we offer evidence-based therapies such as these:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing  (EMDR)

If you think you might have PTSD, there are resources to help you recover. If your symptoms come and go or surface months or years after the traumatic event, effective treatments are available. Call us at 605-348-0077 to explore and learn about treatment options.   

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.

Here are some places we may refer you based on your goals:

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.

We offer a women’s support group. We have female counselors who can focus on your needs and support you with any readjustment concerns you may experience. Our goal is to provide an environment free from harassment that meets your unique needs. 

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.

For substance use disorders we can refer you to the VA Black Hills Health Care System.

Learn more about the VA Black Hills Health Care System

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 help you feel safer and more optimistic about your future.  

We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.

Here are some places we may refer you based on your goals:

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.

If you're holding an event and would like one of our representatives to attend, feel free to call us at 605-348-0077.  

We also have a Mobile Vet Center that is available for outdoor events. Please call us at 605-348-0077.  

We work with the following agencies:

We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.

Ask your counselor if telehealth services are appropriate and available in an effort to aid in your readjustment goals. 

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 (TTY:711). We’re here 24/7.

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.