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Baton Rouge Vet Center

Small group of diverse Veterans talking and smiling with a Vet center counselor, American flag in the background.

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, post traumatic 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

5423 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816

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
Vet Center entrance photo

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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Please contact the Vet Center at . Please indicate if you need to be seen immediately or if a counselor can call you back to schedule an appointment. Leave your name and contact number so that a counselor can coordinate scheduling an appointment. 

Same day services are available if in crisis at this time. All others should call to confirm availability.

Approaching from I-12 we are approximately 2 Blocks South of Coursey Blvd. on S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., turn left on Market Place and quick right into parking lot.

Approaching from I-10, exit on Siegen Lane, cross over Airline Hwy, we are located approximately 1 block on the right side.

Approaching from Airline Hwy., head North on S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., we are located approximately 1 block on the right side.

You do not 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 will 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

Capital Area Transit System has nearby bus stops located on Perkins near Counter Culture restaurant  Route 17 Perkins Rd-Mall of Louisiana and Route 46 Cortana-Gardere-L'Auberge at Albertson's.

Access route information and track the location of buses in route to your bus stop at Capital Area Transit System (CATS).

In the spotlight

New Vet Centers and Satellite Locations Announced

PACT ACT Education

Styles of counseling and Featured Groups

Counseling services

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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.

Couples and family counseling strives to examine the impact military service has on the marital and family structure as a whole.  At the Baton Rouge Vet Center this is addressed through a combination of individual, marital and family sessions. We work with you in finding ways  to improve communication skills, examine your  strengths  and build on those strengths to improve the quality of life for all. 

For aspects of family counseling or parenting classes that fall outside of our scope of practice we refer to local agencies such as Family Service of Baton Rouge Parenting Center.

If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.

Here at the Baton Rouge Vet Center we utilize a combination of individual, marital, and family therapy to assess the impact of loss of a loved one and support each individual through their own journey of acceptance and healing.  This also may include referring individuals to other community resources such as support groups that deal with traumatic losses of loved ones, such as Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center.

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.

Mental health counseling is offered through individual, marriage/family and group therapy.

We offer a number of groups that are treatment specific, such as

  • Vietnam
  • Global War On Terrorism (GWOT)
  • Military Sexual Trauma

Our groups are designed to provide connection to others who struggle with similar challenges, provide basic psychoeducation on understanding your symptoms and learning/implementing new coping skills to improve your overall quality of life.

For those who desire a more structured or time-limited approach we offer evidenced based treatment (EBT) on an individual basis. This currently includes

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

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 currently offer two groups for Female Veterans struggling with impact of Military Sexual Trauma.

  • Eagles Group: Support group that builds upon the connections of group members who have shared experiences and who are evolving to recognize how to empower themselves .
  • Warrior Renew: Healing from Military Sexual Trauma-utilizes a structured workbook to examine the impact  of Military Sexual Trauma and learn new skills to overcome the lingering effects of such.

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.

Here at the Vet Center, we use many types of counseling to assist with the Veterans' needs. To include

  • Eye Movement Desensitization 
  • Reprocessing (EMDR) 
  •  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) 
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) 
  • Reality Therapy
  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)  

These different styles of counseling allows us to adapt to the Veterans' needs throughout the counseling process.

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.

Helpful resources for navigating the transition to civilian life include

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.

Substance use, abuse and dependency are often ways individuals seek to cope with their depression, anxiety, nightmares and overall readjustment challenges after returning from a deployment or being discharged from the military.  The Baton Rouge Vet Center refers you to  local VA outpatient clinics, nearby VA medical centers or private sector resources for specialized care in this area.

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.

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.

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.