Title

Ponce Vet Center

Name of Vet Center
Ponce Vet Center
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_0312V
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Main location address

1046 Hostos Avenue
Suite 118
Ponce, PR 00716
United States

Direct line
787-841-3260
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
Ponce Vet Center is located within Galerias Med Centro. A two story white building with dark beige trims, and small bushes located in the front of the building.
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Find connection, find camaraderie, find community

Learn more about the confidential and comfortable environment you’ll find at your local Vet Center.

Hear what Vet Centers can do for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzkZNbKk1I&feature=youtu.be
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Veterans speak on Vet Centers

This VA News video offers opportunities to hear from your peers on how Vet Centers have been useful to them, and how we can assist you on your journey toward well-being. 

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https://news.va.gov/100084/why-i-get-my-health-care-at-va-veterans-speak-on-vet…
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Appointments

Please call 787-841-3260 to speak with a staff member who will assist you with scheduling an appointment.

Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis, or by telephone. Call for details. Non-traditional hours are available by appointment.

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Parking and building access

We’re located in Suite 118, the corner office of the building. We have ample parking in the front and side of the building. Accessible parking and entrances to the Vet Center for those with mobility issues are available.

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Transportation

We’re located within the facilities of Galeria Med Centro on the Avenida Hostos across from Walgreens. There’s a Ponce Municipal Public transportation stop for (SITRAS) in front of our building.

Visit SITRAS for public transportation route maps and schedules

You can also call 787-547-2357 for public transportation information.

SITRAS public transportation guarantees transportation Monday to Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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What to bring

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 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
Ponce 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 offer referrals to VA Caribbean Health Care System New Beginnings Program, as well as other community substance abuse programs.

Ponce 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.

If you would like to include your significant other in your counseling sessions, be sure to discuss this with your counselor.

Ponce 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 work to establish relationships with community partners. Our Veteran Outreach Program Specialist is available to coordinate meetings, orientation, and events so you may learn more about our services. Please contact 787-841-3260 and request to speak with our outreach specialist.

Ponce 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 counseling and other support, including:

  • Bereavement counseling for families who have lost a loved one while they were serving on active duty
  • Grief counseling
  • Contact information to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and National Cemetery Administration (NCA) regarding possible burial and survival benefits
Ponce 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. We also provide referral services to appropriate resources in our community.

Care at our center includes:

  • Individual counseling sessions targeted toward your identified goals
  • Group counseling offering education on military and Veteran related topics, support, and skills-building to manage periods of distress

Our counselors use evidence-based therapies, such as:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

We also collaborate with VA Caribbean Health Care System's Behavioral Health Program, as well as community behavioral health services for coordinated care.

Ponce 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.

Our counselors use trauma-informed care to provide therapy and supportive services to MST survivors. We can also connect you with VA Caribbean Healthcare System's Military Sexual Trauma care coordinator for further services.

Ponce 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. 

Care at our center includes:

  • Anger management
  • Stress management
  • Skills building
  • Activity engagement

Evidence-based psychotherapies such as:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Ponce 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 understand 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:

Ponce 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.

Our primary focus is your safety. If you feel hopeless, suicidal, or in need of crisis care, let your counselor know. You can work together to feel safer and more optimistic about your future. You can also reach the Veteran Crisis Line via confidential chat at Veteran Crisis Line by texting 838255. Together we work to help you stay safe and improve your world.

Visit the Veteran Crisis Line

Ponce 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 can help you with:

Ponce 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.

We use VA Video connect and WebEx.

Ponce 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.

We’re staffed with counselors who can focus on the needs of women Veterans and service members. Our goal is to provide an environment free from harassment that meets the unique needs of women Veterans.

How we're different than a clinic (FAQs)

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How we’re different than a clinic

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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.