Saginaw 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
Select a topic to learn more.
Making an appointment
- You can call 989-321-4650 to speak with a team member. They can help you schedule an appointment and can answer any questions you may have regarding an appropriate referral.
- Non-traditional hours are available by appointment.
- Some of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
Canceling or rescheduling an appointment
- If you know you’ll miss an appointment, call to cancel 24 hours in advance.
- If you have an appointment conflict and need to reschedule, 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’ll check 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.
Free parking (including accessible spaces) is readily available in front and to the right of the main entrance.
Shuttle services may be available to local Veterans, to and from their homes, and to and from the medical center campus. For more information, call Saginaw VA Medical Center at 989-497-2500 and ask to be connected to transportation.
Saginaw Transit Authority (STARS) provides 2 public bus stops within 1/2 mile of the Vet Center. Bay Metro transport users can transfer to STARS buses at the Saginaw Valley State University Campus.
Here are some resources for more information on local bus routes and Dial-A-Ride services.
- Saginaw STARS or call 989-907-4000
- Bay Metro or call 989-984-0631 for buses or 888-237-6635 for Dial-A-Ride
- Midland or call 989-837-9540
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.
Client appreciation events
We co-host events in cooperation with local partners 2 to 3 times yearly. Events include Vietnam Veteran commemoration ceremonies; Veterans car and bike shows, and customer appreciation holiday gatherings. Call us for more information.
Need help with your VA claim?
Veterans Service Officers from Michigan Disabled American Veterans and American Legion are available at the Saginaw Vet Center on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call us at 989-321-4650 for scheduling and availability.
Counseling services
Select a topic to learn more.
We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We encourage our Veterans and service members to address any personal concerns through individual therapy. This can coincide with family therapy. During individual therapy, counselors may offer opportunities for your partner or other family members to join in the session, once or twice. This can provide an opportunity for your family members to learn more about your needs and ways to best support you during your treatment.
Our counselors are trained to provide PAIRS, an evidence-based couples intervention program. We can offer PAIRS at retreats, groups, or in couples sessions.
We also offer an in-person monthly spouse and family support group.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
We support Gold Star families. We offer grief and bereavement counseling if your service member died while serving on active duty and to family members of Veterans who were receiving Vet Center services at the time of their death.
Read more about Gold Star families
We can connect you to the Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration and navigate burial and survivor benefits using the Planning Your Legacy Toolkit.
Check out VA's toolkit for burial benefits and pre-need planning information (PDF)
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 a variety of mental health services, including these:
- Individual counseling sessions targeted at your personal goals
- Group counseling
- Referral services to VA resources, as well as community partners
We use evidence-based therapies, such as these:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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 MST. We have both male and female counselors available based on your preference.
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.
If you think you might have PTSD, there are resources to help you recover. Even if your symptoms come and go or surface months or years after the traumatic event, effective treatments are available. Call us at 989-321-4650 to explore and learn about treatment options and self-help tools.
We offer a variety of evidence-based therapies and provide both individual and group counseling to help treat PTSD. Our evidence-based therapies include:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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.
We're here to welcome you home. We provide a community where you can connect with other Veterans and active-duty service members.
Whether you’re returning from deployment or leaving the military, we can help you navigate and connect with the right people for these tasks:
- Applying for VA health care
- Reviewing VA benefits
- Finding employment and training opportunities
- Your local Veterans Service Officer for state benefits
Referral services
Select a topic to learn more.
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.
Our team can connect you with substance use programs, both inpatient and outpatient, with our local VA Medical Center when you need help with addiction, detox, or gaining stability. We also work with community partners.
You can call us at 989-321-4650 for more information.
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 have thoughts of suicide, it’s important you talk to someone right away. We understand Veteran and military experiences and can provide one-on-one counseling. We can also connect you with our local Saginaw VA Medical Center suicide prevention team.
Learn how the suicide prevention team can help
You can also contact the Veterans Crisis Line in these ways:
- Confidential chat on their website
- Text 838255
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
Understanding your benefits, navigating health care, and choosing what is best for you are sometimes difficult tasks to manage. We can help connect you with benefits, services, and programs that support you.
Let us help you with these tasks:
- Enrolling in VA health care and connecting you with primary care
- Finding where to file a disability claim and the necessary steps to take
- Using your VA education benefits
- Finding how to apply for and use your VA home loan
- Accessing VA burial and survivor benefits
We can help you make direct connection with a Veterans Service Officer in your city or town and the local Veterans Service Organizations.
Veterans Service Officers from Michigan Disabled American Veterans and American Legion are available at the Saginaw Vet Center on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call us at 989-321-4650 for scheduling and availability.
Other services
Select a topic to learn more.
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 collaborate with our local partners and use our resources to advocate for your needs.
We partner with organizations such as these:
- County Veterans Services Offices
- National Guard and Reserves units
- Colleges and universities in our service area
- Local Veterans Service Officers (VFW, American Legion, VVA, etc.)
If you or your organization would like to learn about working with Veterans and military culture or how you can support the Veteran community, we can provide individual or group educational briefings. Give us a call at 989-321-4650 for more information.
We’ll help you achieve your job and career goals. We can connect you with one-on-one support, counseling, and training.
We coordinate with case managers from VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment Program (VR&E), who also provide limited services on site. Contact us for more information.
How Vet Centers are different than a medical clinic
Select a topic to learn more.
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.