Bloomfield 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 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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First-time visitor? Give us a call and let’s discuss how we can help. Call 973-748-0980 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.
Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
Making an appointment:
After you contact us, the Vet Center Director will call you to schedule an appointment. You can expect a return call within 1 to 2 business days. We’ll schedule your first appointment within 2 to 10 business days.
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 877-927-8737.
Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment:
If you know you’ll miss an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran or service member.
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 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 answer any questions you might have.
We’re located at 2 Broad Street in Bloomfield. We’re on the seventh floor of the Frank M Leo building. It’s the only 7-story building at the intersection of Broad Street and Bloomfield Avenue.
We’re accessible by bus and train.
The bus route stops at the Bloomfield Post Office. We’re only two blocks away from the Post Office and the Bloomfield train station.
Plan your trip with NJ Transit
There’s no free parking in the immediate area. A public parking garage is available 1 block away at 23 Lackawanna Place. There are plenty of restaurants in the area and a spacious park for small children to enjoy.
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.
VBA Claims Clinics the Second Friday of Every Month.
The Bloomfield Vet Center will be having VBA Claims Clinics on the second Friday of every month. Want to know the status of your claim sign up with our Veteran Outreach Program Specialist at
Yogi Berra Museum Veteran event coming soon
We’ll be co-hosting an event at the Yogi Berra Museum. Yogi Berra is both a famous Yankee and also a Veteran.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We also offer individual counseling and we provide referrals to VA counseling resources and therapy resources in your community.
We also offer counseling for minors and art therapy for children.
We have Spanish-speaking counselors available.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
We can offer counseling and other support, such as:
- Bereavement counseling for families who have lost a loved one while they were serving on active duty
- Grief counseling to help with a significant change or loss
- Contact information to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and National Cemetery Administration (NCA) regarding possible burial and survival benefits
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.
As a leader in care for LGBTQ+ Veterans, we are committed to serving you. We partner with VA and community agencies to make sure Veterans and service members can get the assistance they need and the benefits they earned.
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 provide individual and group counseling. We use supportive and evidenced-based techniques such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Skills Training and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)
We have English and Spanish-speaking counselors available.
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.
We have male and female counselors available for those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST).
We also partner with the VBA regional office in Newark to have annual MST seminars. These help inform our Veterans and service members what benefits they are entitled to.
If you’re a Veteran from a minority community, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
We proudly celebrate diversity among those we serve. We have bilingual counselors available for individual or group counseling for those Veterans and service members who prefer speaking Spanish.
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 provide individual and group counseling for Veterans and service members dealing with PTSD. Here are some of the groups we offer:
Current events: The purpose of this supportive, mutual aid group is to reduce social isolation among Vietnam Veterans. These Veterans have received maximum benefit from individual therapy but wish to continue discussing current topics and events that impact them, as well as issues related to their wartime experience.
In country: The purpose of this supportive, mutual aid group is to reduce social isolation and promote camaraderie among Vietnam Veterans who continue to address the way in which their wartime experiences impact life today.
Graduates: The purpose of this group is to reduce social isolation and promote camaraderie among Vietnam Veterans with more diverse military backgrounds. These Veterans continue to address the way in which their wartime experiences impact life today. Veterans of varying military branches and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS’s) participate in this particular group process.
Multigenerational Veterans: The purpose of this group is to teach coping skills that aid in relaxation and breathing. These techniques have been linked to decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.
Spouses of multigenerational Veterans: The purpose of this group is to provide a support system for spouses and significant others of Veterans. Within the group, the facilitator organizes topics pertaining to readjustment, psychoeducation, and skills that will aid the spouse or significant other within their relationship with the Veteran. Finally, the group serves as a military/Veteran community connection offering each other support, wisdom, and encouragement. This helps the Veteran's relationship through increased education, empathy, and coping skills that can be mirrored in the relationship.
Vietnam Veterans commissioned, combat leaders: The purpose of this very unique group is to address issues associated with the role of combat leaders in a supportive and homogeneous environment where members can share and process their common experiences.
PTSD and substance abuse: The purpose of this group is to help Veterans and service members maintain an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle. It’s for Veterans and service members who previously used alcohol or drugs to self-medicate their PTSD symptoms.
Vietnam Veterans: All members of this group are either combat infantrymen, combat medics, and/or Purple Heart recipients who experienced heavy combat in Vietnam. Moreover, all members have been involved in Vet Center services for a number of years. Their needs have evolved from trauma processing into present day goal setting, concerns with health issues, and the need or desire for increased social connectivity.
Yoga: The purpose of this group is manage stress by reducing arousal symptoms.
Military service can affect your emotional, mental, and physical health. We offer recreation and creative arts therapy through activities that can be adapted to your needs.
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.
Stop by for a one-stop shop for all transitioning needs. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
We can help you navigate:
- Health care
- Benefits
- Employment
- Housing
We can also provide community referrals.
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.
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 provide a bi-weekly group which meets every other week for substance abuse. The purpose is to help Veterans and service members maintain an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle. It’s for Veterans and service members who previously used alcohol or drugs to self-medicate.
We have English and Spanish-speaking counselors available for one-on-one counseling for substance abuse issues.
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
The Bloomfield Vet Center offers assistance to Homeless Veterans and veterans in danger of becoming homeless. We can connect you with resources in your community.
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’re connected with the VA Suicide Prevention team at both East Orange and Lyons VA Medical Centers. Our counseling staff can assist with consistent counseling and support for you and your family.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
We offer assistance or referral services with:
- Registering for VA health care and medical benefits
- Filing VA claims and other Veteran benefits
- Understanding your potential VA benefits, including GI Bill and home loans
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 work with our local partners and use our resources to advocate for your needs. We collaborate with partners to support our Veteran community.
Some of our partners include:
- The Johnson Public Library of Hackensack
- Soldier On
- The Verona Community Center
- GIGO Fund
- Local first responders
- The National Guard, Reserve and active-duty units
- Colleges and universities in our local community
If you or your organization would like to learn about working with Veterans and military culture and how you can support the Veteran community, we can provide individual or group briefings. Give us a call for more information at 973-748-0980.
We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
We’re here to make your transition into VA health care as smooth as possible. If you need assistance setting up a smart phone or tablet for telehealth, please feel free to contact us for assistance. Call 973-748-0980.
We offer workshops and classes if you want to connect with other Veterans but don't want a group counseling setting.
Please contact us for further details
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.