Volume 1: It's OK To Not Be OK

What is your advice for a veteran seeking mental health care for the first time?

First - are you in acute crisis, feeling homicidal or suicidal? If so, I suggest that you immediately contact a friend or family member, and go to your nearest emergency room for help. Or you can call the crisis hotline: 1-800- 273-8255.

If your needs are not acute then I’d first find out if you are eligible for VA Health Care including mental health (what is known these days as behavioral health care). So check to see if you are eligible first.

Eligibility is complicated and unfortunately I can’t explain it in a few short sentences. There are lots of ways to determine eligibility, but the easiest place to start is to call the VA’s toll-free hotline at 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

If you are eligible then you should call your local VA Health Care System to enroll in VA Health Care.  After enrolling ask to speak with someone in behavioral health to schedule an appointment.

You may also be eligible to be seen at the Veterans Readjustment Counseling Center or “Vet Center” https://www.vetcenter.va.gov.

Vet Centers are community mental health clinics for Veterans who typically are eligible if they served in a war zone or were sexually assaulted in the military.

If you aren’t eligible for VA Health Care then your options will depend on your income. If you are working you might be have the option to be seen by someone briefly in the Employee Assistance Program associated with your work or through any private health care you may have (separate from VA Health Care) Another option is to locate a therapist in private practice.

If you aren’t eligible for VA Health Care and also do not have an income, you can reach out to a nearby graduate schools in social work, psychology or marriage and family therapy. They may have a low or no fee clinic staffed by their students under the supervision of faculty associated with the program, for which you might be eligible.

Getting an appointment for mental health care these days can be difficult for Veterans and civilians alike. I would expect that you will hit a few roadblocks in your attempt to get help. They can be frustrating, but don’t let the initial roadblocks discourage you! It will be worth the effort.

Keith Armstrong LCSW is a recently-retired Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), who worked with veterans for 38 years, and served as a mentor and contributor to the Heart and Armor team since 2013. He is the co-author of the acclaimed book “Courage After Fire: Coping Strategies for Troops Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and Their Families.”