In this guide:

↓ The Veteran-centered purpose

↓ Purpose of the content type

↓ Accessing Vet Center services

↓ Add a new service

↓ Edit an existing service

↓ Remove an optional service

The Veteran-centered purpose

"As a Veteran, active duty service member, or family member I want to know what a Vet Center is and what services they offer so that I can best understand how they can help me."

Purpose of the content type

Although all Vet Centers offer the same core set of services, each location uniquely delivers the service based on staff expertise and interests, the population you serve, and other characteristics of your location.

As you write your descriptions, please add the details that may be important to Veterans and service members who are learning about your services for the first time, such as the groups, activities, evidence-based treatments, or referral networks available at your local Vet Center. 

Consider the things about your staff that could be compelling to a new client, such as

• Are staff members Veterans themselves?
• What gender are your counselors? 
• Is anyone on staff bilingual?
• Do counselors have special expertise or training, such as an Addictions counselor or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs)?

Accessing Vet Center services

1. After logging in, you'll be on your Vet Center dashboard with cards displaying different viewing or editing options.
2. Find the Services card and click Go to services.

Add a new service

1. At the bottom of the existing Services list, click Add new service.
2. Under Service name, select a service from the dropdown list.
3. Once you select a service, the General service description field will appear automatically and display standardized text describing this service.
4. In the Vet Center service description field, add specific details about how the service is offered at your facility. Consider the groups, activities and evidence based treatments which are available. For example:

    At [Vet Center name], we offer one-on-one hour-long counseling sessions targeted at your individual needs and group therapy, such as:

   • Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
   • Vietnam Veterans
   • Spouse/Significant others 

   We also offer evidence-based therapies such as:

   • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
   • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
   • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
   • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
   • Internal Family Systems (IFS)
   • Gottmann Method 

5. After adding your description, click Create service.
6. Scroll down to Editorial Workflow.
7. Click to select an option from the Save as field (such as “Draft,” “Published,” or “Archived”) in the Editorial Workflow, enter a Revision log message detailing your changes. For more information on each state read the Editorial Workflow article.
8. Click Save.

Edit an existing service

When editing an existing service, it is important that you only make updates to the Vet Center service description. Please do not change the selected option in the Service name dropdown as this may cause required services to be removed from your Vet center page.

1. Find the service you want to edit and click the Edit button.
2. Make your edit in the Vet Center service description field.
3. Click Update service.
4. Scroll down to Editorial Workflow.
5. Click to select an option from the Save as field (such as “Draft,” “Published,” or “Archived”) in the Editorial Workflow, enter a Revision log message detailing your changes. For more information on each state read the Editorial Workflow article.
6. Click Save.

Remove an optional service

1. Find the optional service you want to remove and click Remove. If the service is marked as Required, you will not be able to remove it.
2. Click Remove again to verify you want to remove the optional service.
3. Scroll down to Editorial Workflow.
4. Click to select an option from the Save as field (such as “Draft,” “Published,” or “Archived”) in the Editorial Workflow, enter a Revision log message detailing your changes. For more information on each state read the Editorial Workflow article.