TOLEDO, Ohio — In honor of September's suicide prevention month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is highlighting the help that is available at 300 Vet Centers across the country.
In 2021, nearly 217,000 veterans, service members, and families nationwide benefitted from visiting their local Vet Center, resulting in 1.65 million counseling visits and outreach contacts.
Vet Centers provide a wide range of counseling, including social and psychological services, mental health resources, information and treatment options. All of which are available to veterans, service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families.
"The focus of our services is really helping that veteran and service member set a goal, then set a support structure around themselves to accomplish that goal." said Michael Fisher, Chief Officer of Veterans Health Administration's Readjustment Counseling Service. "Whether that's with their families or other veterans and service members then they accomplish it and then they identify another goal, it's a lifelong process of doing that over and over again."
Vet Center counselors and outreach staff, many of whom are veterans themselves, are experienced and prepared to discuss the tragedies of war, loss, grief and transition after trauma.
The no-cost services are available for life and without the need to enroll in VA healthcare or have a service connection.
The Toledo Vet Center is located at 1565 South Byrne Rd., Suite 104.
Several other locations can be found in Ohio and Michigan. Check out www.vetcenter.va.gov for more information.
MORE FROM WTOL 11:
Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox! WTOL's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed. Click here to get on the list!
