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July 2, 2024

Mental Health Support for Veterans: A Guide to Government Programs

Mental Health Support for Veterans: A Guide to Government Programs
Mental Health Support for Veterans: A Guide to Government Programs

Mental health and well-being are vital to overall health. Anyone struggling with their mental health may notice negative impacts in all aspects of their life, including personal relationships, their job performance, and their physical health. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a variety of programs designed to help Veterans access quality mental health care and improve their well-being. In this article, we will explore some of the main programs available for those who have served our country.

Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program

The Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program provides care to Veterans who need help with mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and many other hardships. This group of programs covers a wide range of care, including the Domiciliary PTSD (Dom PTSD) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PTSD-RRTP). PTSD-RRTP provides 24/7 care in a residential setting. Eligibility for any of the programs within the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program generally requires enrollment in the VA healthcare system and a discharge status that is anything other than dishonorable. For more specific eligibility questions, visit the VA Mental Health site.

Mental Health Services for Veterans

The VA Mental Health Services for Veterans program provides care for a variety of mental health conditions, like the Residential Rehabilitation Program. However, these services are provided in a non-residential setting. To receive Mental Health Services, you generally must be enrolled in the VA healthcare system and not dishonorably discharged. You can browse the VA Mental Health page to explore treatment and resources by topic and category.

More Resources

The VA offers a Veteran Crisis Line, available 24/7, if you need immediate support. You can reach the Crisis Line by calling 988 and dialing 1, or texting 838255. You can also chat online.

Questions about your claims, or other VA programs? Visit the AskVA website to submit questions quickly and securely or browse our Military: Active Duty and Veterans category to see Veterans benefits of all types. To find your eligibility for over 1,100 benefit programs, try out our Benefit Finder tool.