Johnson City 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, 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. 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tue. 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Wed. 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Thu. 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri. 7:00 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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If you’re a first-time visitor, stop by during our office hours or call 423-928-8387 to discuss how we can help. Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
After your initial contact with us, the Vet Center Director will connect you with one of our counselors. You can expect a return call within 1 to 3 business days, and we’ll schedule your first appointment within 3 to 7 business days. Anyone in crisis will have their needs addressed immediately.
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.
You can call us anytime during our posted hours of operation. If you need to call outside of those times, or on a weekend, 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.
We’re located in the Peerless shopping center on Springbrook Drive across the street from the Holiday Inn.
We have several parking spaces available, including accessible parking. There should always be a place for you.
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 check 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.
We're across the street from the Springbrook at Holiday Inn stop on Johnson City Transit's Silver line. It departs 58 minutes after each hour. Call 423-929-7119 or text “JCTS SI 1331” to 41411 for the next bus.
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.
Vet Centers provide emergency outreach to historic Kentucky flood disaster
We provided emergency outreach and resources to Veterans affected by catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky.
VA News highlighted and featured the collaborated event on the national website.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
We offer individual and group counseling, including a group for significant others.
We encourage your partner or other family members to join your individual therapy sessions, once or twice to learn more about your needs and ways to best support you during your treatment.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
We offer grief and bereavement counseling services to family members and significant others who may have lost a loved one on active duty. We also offer services to family members of a Veteran or service member who was receiving Vet Center services at the time of their death.
Individual and group sessions are available.
If you're a Veteran who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or a related identity, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
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, group, and family counseling at our main Vet Center and various satellite locations in the surrounding community. Face-to-face, virtual, and phone sessions are available.
Veterans and service members must be screened prior to attending a group.
We offer evidence-based therapies such as these:
- Talk therapy
- Behavior therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Marriage and family therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
We offer groups such as these:
- Desert Storm/Persian Gulf Veteran support group
- Vietnam Veteran support groups
- PTSD processing groups
- Women's equine therapy group
- Significant others support group
- Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) Outreach
- Retired Old Dames Eating Out (RODEO) Outreach
- Various educational groups (such as depression, stress/relaxation, anger management, relationships, communication)
Please speak with a counselor about the right group for you.
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 male and female counselors available with specialized training in trauma counseling.
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.
If you’re feeling on edge and on guard, having trouble with sleep or motivation, or just feeling unlike yourself following a major event or critical incident, we can help. We’ll teach you tools to manage these problems and get back on track. Asking for help takes courage and we provide the private, comfortable setting with expert counselors to help you take that next step.
Our counselors specialize in the treatment of PTSD and offer individual and group counseling at our main Vet Center and various satellite locations within the community.
We offer evidence-based therapies such as these:
- Traditional psychotherapy (talk therapy)
- Behavior Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Marriage and family therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
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 recognize that completing military service can come with a variety of new challenges. Navigating the VA system and other benefits alone can be overwhelming, We can provide education and connection for:
- Enrollment in VA health care benefits
- Filing a service-related disability claim
- Connection to employment opportunities
- Using VA education benefits
- Using your VA home loan
- Connecting to state benefits and services
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.
We offer whole health integration services such as these:
- Equine therapy for women with sexual trauma
- Expressive art counseling modalities (such as art therapy, music therapy, movement therapy)
- Guitars for Vets (currently in development)
- Yoga (currently in development)
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.
We specialize in women Veteran care and offer the following groups:
- Women’s equine therapy
- Painting and arts and crafts
- Retired Old Dames Eating Out (RODEO)
Please speak with a counselor about the best group for you.
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.
Unhealthy substance use is often connected with PTSD, depression, or stress. We can help you understand how problematic drinking, substance use, or gambling might be related to other stressors in your life and we can teach you how to take control over your substance use.
We can refer to our local VA Mountain Home Domiciliary or to agencies in our community.
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.
Our primary focus is your safety. If you feel hopeless, suicidal, or in need of crisis care, just let your counselor know so you can work together to help you feel safer and more optimistic about your future.
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
We understand that searching for resources can be challenging. Let us help you navigate these types of challenges:
- How to activate VA medical benefits and enroll in care
- Where to file disability claims and other forms
- How to make the most of your VA education benefits
- How to use your VA home loan
- How to access VA burial benefits
We can also connect you to the local Veteran Service Officer in your town.
Call us at 423-928-8387 to find out more.
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.
If you or your organization would like to learn about working with Veterans and military culture, we can provide individual or education briefings.
We've established partnerships with the following groups:
- National Guard and Reserve units
- State universities and community colleges
- Veterans Service Organizations
- Tennessee Department of Veteran Services (TDVS)
- Community legal services
Call us to discuss how we can partner to support the local Veteran community.
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.