North Orange County 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, post traumatic 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 6:30 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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Public transportation is available with the Orange County Transportation Authority. There are bus stops located within a 10 - 15 minute walk from the Vet Center. Please visit the OCTA's website for more information on bus routes and schedules.
- We offer flexibility by offering a variety of appointment modalities to meet your individual needs to include in-person, video, and phone appointments.
- If you would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call during business hours and we will be happy to discuss a time that works best for you to meet with a member of our staff.
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.
There are two designated parking spots located in front of the Vet Center. Feel free to park in one of these spots. Clients and guests can also park in any of the parking spaces that are not marked for other business located within the parking lot.
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.
Community Partner Spotlight (Tierney Center)
The Tierney Center offers a variety of services at no cost for veterans.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
The Vet Center offers couples and family counseling to assist eligible Veterans and service members.
Our clinicians are trained in Evidenced Based Practices, such as Emotional Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method. Please call our office for further detail.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
The Vet Center provides support for family members that are suffering through the tragic loss of a service member or veteran that died by:
- Service members killed in line of duty, whether or not the Service member’s death was a result of combat.
- Veterans who were actively receiving counseling and other services at the time of the Veteran’s death if the death was unexpected or occurred while the Veteran was receiving hospice or similar care.
- Veterans or Service members who died by suicide.
Please call our office to schedule an appointment.
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.
At the North Orange County Vet Center we provide services for Veterans by Veterans. If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger, or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. We can provide individual, couples, family and group counseling. We also provide referral services to appropriate resources in our community.
Care at our center includes:
- One-on-one counseling sessions targeted at your individual needs
- Couples counseling to address post military readjustment issues that are affecting relationships and families
- Group counseling for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, Vietnam Veterans; female Veterans, and more
Our clinicians are trained in a variety of evidence-based therapies such as:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Gottmann Method
- Motivational Interviewing
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 Vet Center is proud to assist our brothers and sisters who experienced military sexual trauma. Please call our office to schedule an appointment.
Visit the National Center for PTSD to learn more.
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.
The Vet Center is honored to support our Veterans and service men and women who are struggling with Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a delayed and often chronic reaction experienced by normal people exposed to abnormally intense amounts of stress, like the stress encountered in war zones, natural disasters, and other catastrophic situations. If you feel your military experiences may have resulted in PTSD, please call our office for an appointment to explore treatment options. You can also visit the National Center for PTSD to learn more.
Care at our center includes:
- One-on-one counseling sessions targeted at your individual needs
- Couples counseling to address post military readjustment issues that are affecting relationships and families
- Group counseling for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, Vietnam Veterans; female Veterans, and more
We use a variety of evidence-based therapies to address issues associated with PTSD such as:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Motivational Interviewing
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.
The Vet Center is proud to offer non-traditional therapy groups, such as yoga, mindfulness, art therapy, hiking groups and other activity groups. These groups are time limited and change frequently, please call for more information.
*Note due to Covid-19 restrictions group options have been scaled back or transitioned to a virtual format.
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.
The Vet Center has an excellent working relationship with the Long Beach VA Medical Center and routinely receives and sends referrals to our local medical facility and Community Base Outpatient Clinics. The Substance Abuse Treatment Program located at the Long Beach VA can be reached at
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
The Vet Center can provide referrals to homeless Veteran programs in our area. A key resource for Veterans homelessness in Orange County is the VA's Community Resource and Referral Center located at 888 W Santa Ana Blvd Suite 150, Santa Ana, CA 92701. They are the gateway for homeless Veterans accessing resources in Orange County and can be reached at
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 are need of immediate assistance after hours, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-
Veterans looking for assistance within the VA Hospital in Long Beach can call the Urgent Mental Health Clinic at 1-
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
The Vet Center stands as a willing partner in the community to assist Veteran service organizations in providing services to Veterans. We have partnered with local colleges, community base non-profits, National Guard and Reserve units and active duty installations. Please call our office to learn more.
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 offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
At the North Orange County Vet Center, we offer flexibility by offering a variety of appointment modalities to meet your individual needs to include in-person, video, and phone appointments.
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.