Title

New Haven Vet Center

Name of Vet Center
New Haven 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, 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
Facility ID
vc_0116V
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Main location address

291 South Lambert Road
Orange, CT 06477
United States

Direct line
Hours
Mon: 8:00 am-6:30 pm
Tue: 7:00 am-4:30 pm
Wed: 8:00 am-6:30 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
RCS (Readjustment Counseling Services)
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 visitor? Give us a call and let's discuss how we can help. Call (203) 795-0148 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.

  • After your initial contact with the Vet Center, the Vet Center Director will be notified to call you to schedule an appointment. You can expect a return call within 1-2 business days, and we should be able to schedule your first appointment within 2-10 business days, depending on schedule availabilities. If in crisis please let us know and we will address your needs immediately.

  • 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

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Parking

Cost: Free

  • We have a large well-lit parking area with accessible parking and handicap access . In addition, motorcycle parking and Purple Heart parking is offered at the facility. Please feel free to park in any open available space.
  • If there are any issues, please call us at 203-795-0148 and we can come out and assist you.

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Transportation

Transportation is available thru Valley Transit District. Please call to schedule a trip first 203-735-6408

The Greater New Haven Transit District also is available. Please call 203-288-6282 to receive the latest schedule.  

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What to bring

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 answer any questions you might have.

Services
New Haven 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.

Specialty care includes

  • Couples counseling and support
  • Spouse and Significant Other groups
New Haven 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.

New Haven Vet Center offers bereavement counseling in an individual or group setting by a trained bereavement counselor.

New Haven 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.

New Haven Vet Center offers individual and group counseling.

Specialty care includes

  • Era-specific Groups (Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq)
  • Service branch groups
  • Cultural groups

Evidence-based therapies such as

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Prolonged exposure therapy (PE)
  • Motivational interviewing (MI)
New Haven 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.

Specialty care includes:

  • Courage group
New Haven Vet Center - Minority Veteran care
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If you’re a Veteran from a minority community, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.

Vet Centers also offer referrals for bilingual services.

New Haven Vet Center Specialty care includes:

  • Cultural groups
  • Bilingual services 
New Haven 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.

New Haven Vet Center offers individual and group counseling.

Specialty care includes;

  • Evidence based therapies such as; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Whole health activities such as yoga and mindfulness
  • Seeking Safety for PTSD and substance abuse disorder dual diagnosis
New Haven 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.

New Haven Vet Center offers therapeutic activities such as;

  • Yoga
  • Mindfulness
  • Genealogy Group
  • Walk Groups
  • Meditation
New Haven Vet Center - Women Veteran care
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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.

New Haven Vet Center offers individual and group counseling with counselors identified as VA Women’s Mental Health Champions.

Call or text the Women's Veteran call center at 1-855-829-6636 for more information.

New Haven 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.
New Haven 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.
New Haven 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.

New Haven Vet Center may help you know where to go and how to register for;

  • VA medical benefits and register for care
  • Filing a military-related disability claim and other forms
  • Understanding your VA education benefits
  • Housing and home loans
  • Education and referral for VA burial benefits
  • We may also connect you with State benefits assistance and local Veteran Service Organizations.
New Haven 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.
New Haven 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.
New Haven Vet Center - Vocational rehabilitation and employment programs
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We’ll help you achieve your job and career goals. We can connect you with one-on-one support, counseling, and training.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) services help with job training, employment accommodations, resume development, and job seeking skills coaching. 

New Haven Vet Center has a VR&E specialist onsite on scheduled days and may be reached by appointment only. Please call us to schedule an appointment. We’ll help you achieve your job and career goals. We can connect you with one-on-one support, counseling, and training.

New Haven 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.

How we're different than a clinic (FAQs)

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Vet Center faqs

How we’re different than a clinic

Section Intro
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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.