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Great Falls 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, 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

615 2nd Avenue North
Great Falls, MT 59401

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
Exterior of the Great Falls Vet Center

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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Parking for the Great Falls Vet Center is located in the back of the building, which can be accessed from 2nd Avenue North.

The accessible access door is located on this side of the building, next to the accessible parking spots.

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 also answer any questions you might have.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers appointments in several forms. We can provide services in-person, over the phone and virtually through the VA Video Connect application. 

We do ask that the initial appointments be conducted in-person to allow the counselor and client to build a proper rapport as well as ensuring that phone or virtual services are appropriate.

To make an appointment please call the Great Falls Vet Center at or walk in and ask to make an appointment.

Anyone in crisis will be seen within the same day.

There are two local services available to get a Veteran to and from their appointments.

Veteran Transportation Service (VTS)

  • This service is provided through the VA.
  • To schedule transportation, please call
  • VTS requires 72 hour advanced notice for rides.
  • You must already have an appointment before you call. 

Great Falls Transit

  • Through a generous donation from the local Disabled American Vets office, Veterans ride free.
  • To utilize this service, Veterans must show proof of Veteran status. 

In the spotlight at Great Falls Vet Center

Counseling services

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

The Great Falls Vet Center provides eligible Veterans, and in some cases their family members, a variety of direct psychological services.  We strongly encourage spouse/significant other involvement in Veteran counseling as a resource that cannot be overlooked.  Families are strongly encouraged to participate in the healing process for Veterans.  

At the Great Falls Vet Center, we offer

  • Individual counseling to the Veteran and eligible dependents to address quality of life issues
  • Couples and family counseling to help family members deal with problems associated with the Veteran’s readjustment issues

 

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

The Great Falls Vet Center offers counseling and other support, such as:

  • Bereavement counseling for families after the death of an active duty service member
  • Bereavement services for families and caregivers if they were in active receipt of VA mental health services at the time of the Veteran’s death which was unexpected or occurred while the Veteran was participating in a VA hospice program
  • Community referrals for bereavement counseling

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.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers individual and group services to eligible service members, Veterans, and their family members. Psychological  assessments of individuals, families, crisis intervention and referral are also available. 

Care at the Great Falls Vet Center includes:

Veterans Support Group

  • What: A larger group of Veterans who provide mutual social support on a variety of issues such as navigating Veterans benefits, health care issues, and PTSD support. 
  • When: Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.

DBT Support Group

  • What: A closed 10-week course/group with designed to teach people how to live in the moment, cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. Call to reserve a spot in the next course/group.
  • When: Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. 

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.

Military sexual trauma counseling may include individual or group counseling, marital and family counseling, referral for benefits assistance, liaison with community agencies or substance abuse information and referral to help you deal with the emotions of military sexual trauma and regain confidence in your everyday life.

Men's Warrior Renew Group designed to help men work through trauma associate with MST and regain confidence in your everyday life. Every Thursday at 1:00pm

 

 

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.

Care at the Great Falls Vet Center includes individual and group counseling, including

Veterans Support Group

  • What: A larger group of Veterans who provide mutual social support on a variety of issues such as navigating Veterans benefits, health care issues, and PTSD support. 
  • When: Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.

PTSD Recovery Group

  • What: This group will help you learn skills to regain control of your life, manage your reactions and responses, and live a meaningful life.
  • When: Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Group

  • What: A closed 10-week course/group with designed to teach people how to live in the moment, cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. Call to reserve a spot in the next course/group.
  • When: Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. 

 

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.

Great Falls Vet Center personnel are knowledgeable on a wide range of federal and state benefits for Veterans and their families, including guidance regarding VA Compensation and Pension claims, retirement benefits, and survivor benefits.

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.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers

Whole Health Warrior Fitness Group

Whole Health Group

  • Date: Every Monday at 4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Great Falls Vet Center Conference Room
  • Description: Whole Health is VA’s cutting-edge approach to care that supports your health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to you, not what is the matter with you. This means your health team will get to know you as a person, before working with you to develop a personalized health plan based on your values, needs, and goals. This includes things like personal development, mediation, movement, building relationships and exploring complimentary alternative therapies. By focusing on the bigger picture and putting Veterans in the driver’s seat, we are able to achieve better overall health outcomes.

If you’re a woman Veteran transitioning to civilian life, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers a Women Veteran's art Group. This group will focus on women's issues, teach therapeutic skills and provide a safe space to share. The group is open to all eligible female Veterans. This group occurs the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 2:00pm.

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.

Seeking Safety Group

  • Date: Every Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Great Falls Vet Center Conference Room. 
  • Description: Seeking Safety is a relatively modern evidence-based treatment model that treats co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. There are 25 coping skills taught in Seeking Safety. Every skill applies to both trauma and addiction simultaneously. Some categories of skills include: Setting Boundaries in Relationships, Honesty, Compassion, Healing from Anger, and Recovery Thinking. The main aim of these skills is to help patients attain safety in their relationships, thinking, behavior, and emotions.

 

If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.

The Great Falls Vet Center works closely with the VA HUD VASH, city HUD VASH, and other local organizations that help or work with the homeless or those on the verge of becoming homeless.

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.

The Great Falls Vet Center has skilled counselors who are available to help Veterans who are in crisis or in need. 

 

We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers the following 

Veteran Movie Night

  • Description: All Veterans & their Families are invited. Bring your love for movies and favorite snacks! This is a great way to build social structures and support in community.
  • When: 2nd an 4th Friday of the month, 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  Call to confirm as location may change.

Coffee and Donut Social Group

  • Description: You bring your favorite donuts, and we will supply the coffee! A social group for Veterans and spouses who like doughnuts, coffee, and discussing daily topics and events.
  • When: Fridays, 8:00am – 10:00am in the Great Falls Vet Center Lobby. 

Monthly Vet Center Potluck and BBQ:

  • Description: All Veterans & their Families are invited. Bring your favorite dish, eat & have fun! This is a great way to build social structures and support in community.
  • When: First Saturdays of the month, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.  Call to confirm as location may change.

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.

The Great Falls Vet Center is one of the founding members of the local Joining Community Forces organization. This organization brings service providers together with the goal of bridging gaps between services to improve services and care for service members, Veterans and their families.

We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.

The Vet Center now provides virtual telehealth services through the VA Video App. Please call us for more information.

We offer workshops and classes if you want to connect with other Veterans but don't want a group counseling setting.

The Great Falls Vet Center offers several workshops and classes.

Identity Theft Prevention and Credit Protection Class - This class is designed to inform Veterans of ways to protect their identity and  secure their credit in this technologically advanced age with all the associated risks that go with it. This class is by appointment, please call to schedule.

Technology for Beginners - This group is designed to help Veterans utilize various forms of technology to better themselves, prepare for school, or  prepare for the job market. This class will also help Veterans navigate government websites that most veterans will need to utilize to access benefits and services. Veterans will need to provide their own computer, laptop, or device. This class is by appointment, please call to schedule.

Veteran's Art ProgramParis Gibson Square Museum of Art (The Square) has started a Veteran’s Arts Program that will meet every other Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the museum and will be free for all participants. This program is open to any Veterans in Great Falls and surrounding areas. Instructors specializing in their trained media will lead classes each month, allowing participants to explore many different art mediums throughout. This program will be ongoing, but registration will only open two months at a time. All participants are required to register for each class by calling the museum or registering online. The Square and Great Falls Vet Center have partnered to provide local Veterans a space for healthy creative expression through multiple art making forms, for free.

For more information on these groups or to register for them please call .

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
  • Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
  • Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP)
  • Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
  • Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
  • Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC)

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.