Title

Madison Vet Center

Name of Vet Center
Madison Vet Center
Operating status
Operating status
Normal services and hours
Top of page information
Page introduction
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.
Locations and contact information
Facility ID
vc_0419V
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Main location address

1291 North Sherman Ave
Madison, WI 53704
United States

Direct line
Hours
Mon: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Tue: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Wed: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Thu: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Fri: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
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Hours details

We also have non-traditional hours that change periodically given our community’s needs. Please call us to find out more.

Call center information

Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.

Facility photo
Main Entrance for the Madison Vet Center.
Prepare for your visit
Add or edit a visitor information topic, such as parking, transportation, etc.
Prepare for your visit accordions
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Appointments

First-time visitors 

  • If you're a first-time visitor, stop by during our office hours or call 608-264-5342 to discuss how we can help.
  • Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis.
  • Non-traditional hours are available by appointment.

Contacting us

  • Please call 608-264-5342 to speak with a staff member. They can assist you with scheduling an appointment or answering any questions you may have.
  • If you call the Vet Center and reach the Call Center which is located in Colorado, you may leave a message with their team. They can provide a warm handoff to us, and we will contact you right away. If you call outside of our normal operating hours, the Call Center will answer your call.

    Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment

    • If  you know you'll miss an appointment please call to cancel 24 hours in advance.
    • If you have an appointment conflict and need to reschedule, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran or service member.
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    Parking and building access

    Parking

    Free parking is available in front of our building. You may park in any available space in the lot.

    Building Access

    We're located on the ground floor with the entrance under the large overhang facing south.  

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    Transportation

    We're accessible by public transportation. The North Transfer point is located 2 blocks from us.

    Go to City of Madison Metro for routes and schedules

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    What to bring

    You don't need to be enrolled in VA healthcare, have a service-connected disability or receiving any other VA benefits to be seen at the Vet Center. 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, we can help you obtain them or come in and we can work with you to establish your eligibility and answer any questions you might have.

    Services
    Madison Vet Center - Addiction and substance abuse care
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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 have a licensed addiction counselor offering individual counseling.

    We also refer to:

    Madison Vet Center - Couples and family counseling
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    We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.

    Our counselors are extensively trained in family and family systems treatment models. We have Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) on staff.

    We offer individual, family, and conjoined couples therapy, including:

    • Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFT-C)
    • Gottman Method
    • Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT)
    Madison Vet Center - Community engagement
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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 partner with many community organizations to provide support and resources to our Veterans, service members, and their families, including:

    Madison Vet Center - Grief and bereavement counseling
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    We’re here to support you if someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change.

    We offer individual counseling and refer to support resources in the community. 

    Madison Vet Center - Mental health care
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    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 and group counseling here at the Vet Center and at various locations in the Madison area, including:

    • Vietnam Veterans Groups
    • Vets Art Studios
    • Veterans Resource Groups 

    Our counselors offer a number of trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies, including:

    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
    • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
    • Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFT-C)
    • Gottman Method

    Contact us to learn more. 

    Madison Vet Center - Military sexual trauma care
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    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 onsite to provide individual counseling and can incorporate trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies.

    Madison Vet Center - PTSD care
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    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 and group counseling and can provide several trauma-focused evidenced-based therapies, including:

    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
    • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
    • Cognitive Behavioral Conjoined Therapy for PTSD (CBCT)

    We are Veterans ourselves and many of us have deployed so we understand common military and Veteran experiences. To learn more about our services give us a call.

    Madison Vet Center - Returning service member care
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    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 offer peer-led activities and partner with a number of organizations, including:

    Madison Vet Center - Suicide prevention
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    Call our Veterans Crisis Line at <a aria-label="9 8 8" href="tel:988">988</a> 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 collaborate with Suicide Prevention Coalitions in multiple counties and refer to the local VA Medical Center.

    Madison Vet Center - Veteran connections
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    We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.

    We offer peer-led activities and partner with a number of organizations, including:

    Madison Vet Center - Homeless Veteran care
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    If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.

    We collaborate with partners to support our Veteran community. Some of our partners include:

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

    If you have any difficulty getting to one of our locations, please call to discuss video and phone options. 

    Madison Vet Center - Whole health
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    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 partner with organizations in the community to provide therapeutic activities, such as: 

    For those who are looking for wellness activities, we also recommend checking out the following organizations:

    How we're different than a clinic (FAQs)

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    Vet Center faqs

    How we’re different than a clinic

    Section Intro
    Click on a topic for more details.
    Questions

    What are Vet Centers?

    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.

    Who is eligible to receive services at Vet Centers?

    Vet Center services are available to you at no cost, regardless of discharge character, and without you needing to be enrolled in VA health care or having a service-connected disability. If you’re a Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve, you can access our services if you:

    • Served on active military duty in any combat theater or area of hostility
    • Experienced military sexual trauma (regardless of gender or service era) 
    • Provided mortuary services or direct emergent medical care to treat the casualties of war while serving on active military duty
    • Performed as a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility
    • Accessed care at a Vet Center prior to January 2, 2013, as a Vietnam-Era Veteran
    • Served on active military 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 in that state.
    • Are a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, regardless of the location.
    • Are a current member of the Reserve Components assigned to a military command in a drilling status, including active Reserves, who has a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma related to military service that adversely effects quality of life or adjustment to civilian life.

    We encourage you to contact us, even if you’re unsure if you meet these criteria. If we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who will.

    Our services are also available to family members when their participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or active-duty service member. If you consider them family, so do we. We also offer bereavement services to family members of Veterans who were receiving Vet Center services at the time of the Veteran’s death, and to the families of service members who died while serving on active duty.

    Do I have to be enrolled in VA health care to access Vet Center services?

    No. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or have a service-connected disability.

    What about my privacy?

    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.