St. Petersburg 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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We’re seeing Veterans and service members in person and via video connect and phone.
Please call to make an appointment: 727-549-3633.
If you need to speak to us after hours, you can reach the Vet Center Call Center at 877-927-8387.
Non-traditional hours are available by appointment only.
We’re located in the Gaslight Square in the back of the complex. There’s an American flag in front and a big VA sign on the building.
There’s plenty of parking in the complex.
There are plenty of bus routes that will take you to the Tyrone mall exit. The bus stop is by the food court just 2 blocks away from the Vet Center.
Visit the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority for more information
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 look for one or more of the following:
- Discharge documents (such as a DD214) (Preferred for Veterans)
- Receipt of certain awards
- Deployment orders (preferred for active duty)
- Other documents that show qualifying military service
Request your military service records online
If you don’t have these documents on hand, we can work with you to establish your eligibility and answer any questions you might have.
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.
St. Petersburg Vet Center history
We’re the first Vet Center in the Southeast to provide quality readjustment counseling services. We have assisted over 10,000 Veterans in their readjustment journey since 1979. And we have the oldest, longest running Vietnam group.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We have a licensed marriage and family therapist who can provide counseling for couples, spouses, children, and significant others for issues related to the Veteran’s readjustment needs. We also provide community referrals for additional support if needed.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
We offer counseling and other support, such as:
- Bereavement or grief counseling for families who have lost a loved one during active duty
- Referrals to the local hospice community for groups and other services
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 supportive readjustment counseling and many evidence-based therapies, such as:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Seeking Safety
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Please discuss these therapies with your counselor to find the best approach for meeting your personal goals.
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 provide Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), mindfulness skills, and referrals as needed.
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 supportive readjustment counseling and many evidence-based therapies, such as:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Seeking Safety
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Please discuss these therapies with your counselor to find the best approach for meeting your readjustment goals.
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.
Our main goal is to assist you with your readjustment 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 work closely with the VAMC substance abuse program and will assist with the referral process for substance-related issues.
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
Our team can connect you with VA Homeless Programs to get financial assistance for your housing needs.
Learn about VA's Grant and Per Diem Program
You may also call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for additional assistance and support.
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.
We work closely with Bay Pines VA Medical Center and other VA and community organizations to help Veterans and service members find information about benefits and resources available to them.
We can provide the following services:
- Warm hand-off to Veterans Benefits Administration for VA claims information
- Detailed information on how to apply for VA healthcare or a Veteran ID card
- Information on VA Home Loans
Learn how to apply for a Veteran ID Card on VA.gov
We can refer you to the VA Regional Office/Veterans Benefits Administration. You can call 800-827-1000 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. You can also visit a Veterans Service Office that is most convenient for your location.
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've built a strong relationship with our community stakeholders and all the programs at the medical centers. We work closely with Veteran Service Officers who can assist with benefit claims.
We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
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.