Madison 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.
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
![Main Entrance for the Madison Vet Center.](https://s3-us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/content.www.va.gov/img/styles/3_2_medium_thumbnail/public/2022-08/Image_0.jpeg)
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.
First-time visitors
- If you're a first-time visitor, stop by during our office hours or call 608-264-5342 to discuss how we can help.
- Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
- Non-traditional hours are available by appointment.
Contacting us
- Please call 608-264-5342 to speak with a staff member. They can assist you with scheduling an appointment or answering any questions you may have.
- If you call the Vet Center and reach the Call Center which is located in Colorado, you may leave a message with their team. They can provide a warm handoff to us, and we will contact you right away. If you call outside of our normal operating hours, the Call Center will answer your call.
Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment
- If you know you'll miss an appointment please call to cancel 24 hours in advance.
- If you have an appointment conflict and need to reschedule, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran or service member.
Parking
Free parking is available in front of our building. You may park in any available space in the lot.
Building Access
We're located on the ground floor with the entrance under the large overhang facing south.
We're accessible by public transportation. The North Transfer point is located 2 blocks from us.
You don't need to be enrolled in VA healthcare, have a service-connected disability or receiving any other VA benefits to be seen at the Vet Center. 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, we can help you obtain them or come in and 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.
Want to join a group with other Veterans or service members?
Call us for more information at 608-264-5342.
- Vietnam Veterans Groups
- Veterans Resource Groups
- Peer Support
- Team RWB
- Frets 4 Vets
- Wisconsin Hero Outdoors
- Vets on the Fly - Fly Fishing
- Vets Art Studios
Camp American Legion is open
Camp American Legion, located in the North Woods, is a place for Wisconsin Veterans, service members, and their families to come together in a safe and comfortable environment. Call
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
Our counselors are extensively trained in family and family systems treatment models. We have Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) on staff.
We offer individual, family, and conjoined couples therapy, including:
- Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFT-C)
- Gottman Method
- Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT)
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
We offer individual counseling and refer to support resources in the community.
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 individual and group counseling here at the Vet Center and at various locations in the Madison area, including:
- Vietnam Veterans Groups
- Vets Art Studios
- Veterans Resource Groups
Our counselors offer a number of trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies, including:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFT-C)
- Gottman Method
Contact us to learn more.
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 onsite to provide individual counseling and can incorporate trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies.
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 individual and group counseling and can provide several trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies, including:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Conjoined Therapy for PTSD (CBCT)
We are Veterans ourselves and many of us have deployed so we understand common military and Veteran experiences. To learn more about our services give us a call.
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 offer peer-led activities and partner with a number of organizations, including:
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.
We partner with organizations in the community to provide therapeutic activities, such as:
For those who are looking for wellness activities, we also recommend checking out the following organizations:
- Team RWB
- Frets 4 Vets
- Wisconsin Hero Outdoors
- Vets on the Fly - Fly Fishing
- Veterans Equine Trail Services
- Sierra Delta - Life Buddy Program
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.
We have a licensed addiction counselor offering individual counseling.
We also refer to:
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
We collaborate with partners to support our Veteran community. Some of our partners include:
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 collaborate with Suicide Prevention Coalitions in multiple counties and refer to the local VA Medical Center.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
We offer peer-led activities and partner with a number of organizations, including:
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 partner with many community organizations to provide support and resources to our Veterans, service members, and their families, including:
We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
If you have any difficulty getting to one of our locations, please call to discuss video and phone options.
How we’re different than a 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:
-
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.