Abilene 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 and anxiety, 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 8:00 p.m.
- Tue. 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 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? Stop by during our office hours or give us a call and let’s discuss how we can help. Call 325-232-7925 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors. Walk-ins are welcome.
We understand that you may not know what to expect for your first counseling appointment with us. On your first visit:
- You’ll receive and be required to complete an intake packet that includes Vet Center confidentiality, demographic information, release of information (optional), and assessments as appropriate.
- You’ll be evaluated to ensure that you and those around you are safe.
- You and your counselor will begin to establish and develop a treatment plan that is appropriate to your needs.
- Follow-up appointments will be scheduled as appropriate with 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 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 across from Communities of Abilene Credit Union. We have a large parking area with numerous spots. We have 4 accessible spots directly in front of our entrance reserved for visitors.
We’re accessible by public transportation. The closest bus stop is N.6th and Willis using route 10. Bus routes 9 and 8 also stop close to the Vet Center.
For more information on routes and fares, visit the CityLink map
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.
Abilene Mobile Vet Center (MVC)
If your organization is holding a Veterans event, we can potentially help schedule a Mobile Vet Center (MVC) to attend. Call us and we can talk about your event.
Archery group
We partner with the Abilene Bowhunters Association to host a recreation and wellness group on the last Friday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If interested, please call us for details.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We have 2 licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) on our Vet Center team who can support you and your family.
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.
We can help you get connected to the Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration and the local Texas Veterans State Cemetery Representative and navigate burial and survivor benefits using the Planning Your Legacy Toolkit.
Learn about America's Gold Star Families
Learn about pre-need eligibility for burial in a VA cemetery
Download the planning your legacy VA survivors and burial benefits kit (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.
All staff are independently licensed providers highly trained to provide mental health care. Our staff is diverse, both male and female. Some staff are Veterans, and some are civilians with significant experience working with Veterans. Our counselors are licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, psychologists, and licensed professional counselors.
Our counselors have expertise related to moral injury, and our counselors specialize in military sexual trauma (MST) treatment.
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 both female and male counselors specially trained in military sexual trauma (MST) treatments.
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.
All staff are independently licensed providers highly trained to provide mental health care, including assessment and treatment of PTSD. Staff are trained in trauma-focused therapies like Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD. We also offer several groups during the day and evening. Counselors can refer you to an appropriate group for your needs.
Our groups include:
- Warriors for Life
- Women of the Military
- Viet-Vets of Purpose
We also offer the following groups offsite:
- Ranger Military (Ranger, Texas)
- Archery Recreation Group (Buffalo Gap, Texas)
Our counselors have expertise related to moral injury and specialized training in military sexual trauma (MST) treatment.
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 can assist with your transition when returning home—pre, post and during deployment. We can also assist any member of the service member’s family—pre, post, and during deployment—including spouse, child, step-family member and others. Family services are provided when found to aid in the readjustment of the active-duty service member.
We work closely with Dyess AFB, TX First Sergeants Council, and Dyess AFB Mental Health and Behavioral Health Clinic. Although we work closely with these organizations, our sessions are strictly confidential and are not shared with them unless substantial risk of harm is present to self or others.
We understand that the transition from military to civilian life can be a challenge. We offer a variety of ways to assist you in that process such as:
- How to get VA medical benefits and register for care
- Where to go to file claims and other forms
- Understanding your VA education benefits
- Housing and home loans
- Education
We can also connect you to Veterans Service Organizations in your community.
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 of the military group that meets Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please call us at 325-232-7925 to sign up.
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 can provide counseling and/or refer you to VA West Texas health care located in Big Spring, Texas, as well as local community agencies for additional support and services.
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 understand that searching through the variety of Veteran and service member resources can be challenging. Let us help you navigate through and connect with:
- How to activate VA medical benefits and enroll in care
- Where to file disability claims and other forms
- How to make the most of your VA education benefits work
- How to use your VA home loan
- How to access VA burial benefits
- Where to get resume preparation and employment assistance
We can also connect you with many of our community partners to assist with financial assistance for rent or utilities or other counseling services for those not eligible or outside of our scope of services.
Some of our partners include:
- United Way of Abilene
- West Central Texas Council of Governments
- Rolling Plains Management Corporation
- MVPN Abilene
Call us at 325-232-7925 to find out 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 can provide our community partners with various trainings and briefings such as Vet Center services and SAVE (suicide prevention) training. We also support Veteran and military centric events by providing outreach. We’re collaborators with the Military Partnership of West Texas.
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.