Title

San Luis Obispo Vet Center

Name of Vet Center
San Luis Obispo Vet Center
Operating status
Limited services and hours
Operating status - more info
We're currently open for limited in-person service, and screening all visitors for symptoms, due to COVID-19. For individual and group counseling, we recommend using our telehealth services. If you need to talk with someone confidentially, please call us anytime 24/7 at 877-927-8387.
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_0619V
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Main location address

1070 Southwood Drive
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
United States

Direct line
805-782-9101
Hours
Mon: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Tue: 8:00 am-8:30 pm
Wed: 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Thu: 8:00 am-8:30 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
Exterior of the San Luis Obispo Vet Center
Featured content
Highlight up to two Vet Center activities, such as events or programs.
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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
Prepare for your visit
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Prepare for your visit accordions
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Appointments
  • First time visitor? Stop by during our office hours or give us a call and let's discuss how we can help
  • Many of our services are available on a walk-in basis
  • Please call 805-782-9101 to schedule an appointment with one of our counselors
  • Non-traditional hours are available
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Directions, parking and transportation

If you are unfamiliar with the area, please don't hesitate to call for directions. 

If you are travelling by bus, SLO Transit line 1A stops at the corner of Laurel and Southwood located just a few hundred feet from the Vet Center.  

Disabled accessible parking is available directly in front of the Vet Center. 

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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 also answer any questions you might have.

Services
San Luis Obispo 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.

Veterans in rural communities may be able to connect remotely with San Luis Obispo Vet Center counselors and staff to receive services.

San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center has Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists onsite to offer family and couples counseling.

Specialty care at our center includes:

  • Significant Others Support Group
  • EFT (Emotional Focused Couples Therapy)
  • Gottman couples therapy protocol
San Luis Obispo 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.

If you're having trouble adjusting to a difficult life change or someone close to you has died the San Luis Obispo Vet Center can offer counseling and other support, such as:

  • Bereavement counseling for families who have lost a loved one while they were serving on active duty
  • Also eligible are family members of Reservists and National Guardsmen who die while on duty. 
San Luis Obispo 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.

At the San Luis Obispo Vet Center, we can connect you with the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs or other community resources for those that are unhoused.  

San Luis Obispo 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.
San Luis Obispo 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.

The San Luis Obispo Vet Center offers evidence-based therapies, including: 

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) 
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) 
San Luis Obispo 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.

At the San Luis Obispo Vet Center, we offer a Women Veterans Support Group which meets in the evenings should you have work, school or childcare responsibilities which make it a challenge to attend such groups during the day.  

San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center partners with community organizations to offer therapeutic activities such as:

  • Tai Chi Group
  • Chair Yoga Group
  • Organic Gardening Group
  • Mindfulness Group
  • Adaptive Surfing
  • Ziplining 
  • Deep Sea Fishing 
San Luis Obispo Vet Center - Workshops and classes
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We offer workshops and classes if you want to connect with other Veterans but don't want a group counseling setting.

The San Luis Obispo Vet Center offers workshops and seminars throughout the year.  Topics have included: 

  • VA Benefits for Survivors and Dependents
  • Self-Care for Caregivers 
  • PTSD, Readjustment and the Family
  • Health and Wellness Through the Holidays 
San Luis Obispo 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.
San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center supports local Veterans through partnerships with government and community agencies. We help local organizations understand how they can collaborate with the Vet Center and other VA programs to benefit Veterans, Servicemembers and the community as a whole.

San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center offers individual, group and family counseling:

  • Veteran Support Groups
  • Activity Groups
  • Trauma Focused Therapy Groups
  • Skill Building Groups
  • Wellness Groups 

Specialty care includes:

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) 

We also offer therapeutic activities such as outdoor events, workshops and BBQ's. 

San Luis Obispo 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.
San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center can connect you with crisis care as well as with ongoing counseling and services. 

San Luis Obispo 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.

San Luis Obispo Vet Center can help you know where to go and how to register for:

  • How to get VA medical benefits and register for care
  • Where to go to file claims and other forms
  • Understanding your VA education benefits
  • Education and referral for VA burial benefits
  • Housing and home loans

San Luis Obispo Vet Center can also connect you to Veterans Service Organizations in your community.

How we're different than a clinic (FAQs)

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How we’re different than a clinic

Click on a topic for more details.

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.