Columbia, SC Vet Center
We offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-clinical 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.
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 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
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 or walk-ins:
If you’re a first-time visitor, stop by during our office hours or call 803-765-9944 to discuss how we can help or to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors. Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
After your initial contact with us, the Vet Center Director will be notified of your interest and will work to match you up with a counselor.
You can expect a return call within 1 to 2 business days. We are currently experiencing longer than normal wait times for an initial appointment. Anyone in crisis will have their needs addressed immediately.
Contacting us:
You can call us anytime during our posted hours of operation. If you need to call outside of those times, on weekends, or holidays, the Vet Center Call Center is available 24/7 at 877-927-8737. Calling our main line after hours will automatically send you to the Vet Center Call Center.
Canceling or rescheduling an appointment:
If you know you’ll miss an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran or service member.
We’re located at 1710 Richland Street in the heart of downtown Columbia, SC. We’re in Suite A. Ring the doorbell and you will be greeted with a smile. At this time, we ask that all guests wear a mask into the building. If you don’t have one, we’ll provide one.
Parking:
Free parking is available in the lot behind our building. If the parking lot is full, additional parking is available directly in front of the Vet Center.
We’re accessible by public transit. You can also reach us via several bus lines.
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.
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.
Columbia Vet Center Orientation
The Columbia Vet Center will be hosting Orientation sessions on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 1pm. Come and see if our services are right for you.
*Please bring a copy of your DD214 or any military service-related documentation*
Columbia Vet Center Groups
The Vet Center has a number of groups going on at any given time. Please contact us for dates, times and information at
- Guitars 4 Vets
- Women's Health Group
- Vietnam Era Groups
- Post 9/11 recovery Groups
- Veterans Yoga Project
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We’re also in direct partnership with our local VAMC to make referrals in the event that your needs exceed what we can provide.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
If you’re having trouble adjusting to a difficult life change or someone close to you has passed away, we can offer counseling and other support, such as:
- Bereavement counseling for families who have lost a loved one while they were serving on active duty
- Grief counseling
- Contact information to the Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration regarding burial and survivor benefits
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 counseling and host the following groups:
- Vietnam Veterans group
- Iraq/Afghanistan group
- Veterans Support Group
- Women’s Veteran Group (MST)
Specialty care includes:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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 a women’s group that meets twice a month on the first and second Monday.
All of our clinical staff are trained to provided MST treatment to eligible Veterans and service members.
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 counseling and host the following groups:
- Vietnam Veterans group
- Iraq/Afghanistan group
- Veterans support group
- Women’s Veteran group (MST)
Specialty care includes:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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 provide assistance to Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base with the following:
- Returning service member care at Columbia VA
- Enrolling for VA health care benefits
- Filing disability claims
- Using VA home loans
- Employment and training opportunities
- Connecting to Veteran Service Organizations in your community
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.
Whole health is the practice of improving your overall health through personal work on your mind, body, spirit, and contentedness to the community and family. Our counselors can give the Veteran or service member a chance to reflect on what really matters to them and what they want their health for.
In addition, Veterans and service members will be encouraged to choose an area of life they want to enhance, and then develop a plan for carrying out their goals and actions with guidance and support from their counselor.
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 work hand in hand with the local VA hospital to try our best to get you the appropriate care.
Learn about mental health services at VA Columbia South Carolina
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.
Connections to local community facilities are just a phone call away. Our staff is dedicated to helping Veterans and service members find the resources they need if we can't help immediately fulfill their needs.
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
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 work with several organizations to accomplish the mission of taking care of Veterans and service members:
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.