Immediate Help: The Veterans Crisis Line

The Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans and their families with caring, qualified responders — many of them veterans themselves. Dial 988 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net. You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care or registered with the VA to use it. All veterans can also receive free emergency suicide-related care at any facility, VA or non-VA, under the COMPACT Act.

Arizona State Mental Health Programs

Be Connected (866-4AZ-VETS)

Be Connected is Arizona's statewide support program for service members, veterans, and their families, operated by the Arizona Coalition for Military Families with ADVS and community partners. Call 866-429-8387 (866-4AZ-VETS) to reach a real person — often a veteran or military family member — who identifies what you need and connects you to matched resources: counseling, peer support, financial help, housing, or benefits. The support line answers Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM MST (connectveterans.org); for 24/7 crisis support, dial 988 and press 1.

Be Connected Resource Navigators

Beyond the phone line, Be Connected trains resource navigators embedded in community organizations, employers, and faith communities across Arizona, so a struggling veteran can be recognized and connected wherever they already are. Anyone can also search the Be Connected resource directory at connectveterans.org.

Arizona Department of Veterans' Services

ADVS veterans benefits counselors file VA claims free of charge — including PTSD and other mental health service-connection claims — at offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and around the state (dvs.az.gov). ADVS also coordinates with Be Connected on suicide prevention as part of Arizona's participation in the Governor's and Mayor's Challenges to prevent veteran suicide.

Community and Tribal Resources

Arizona's community behavioral health system (accessed through AHCCCS health plans and regional crisis lines, now unified under 988) provides treatment regardless of VA enrollment, and Vet Centers in Phoenix, Mesa, Tucson, Prescott, Yuma, and Lake Havasu City offer free counseling with no enrollment. Tribal veterans — Arizona has one of the nation's largest Native veteran populations — can also access care through Indian Health Service facilities and VA tribal partnerships.

VA Mental Health Services in Arizona

VA mental health care in Arizona is delivered through Phoenix VA Health Care System (Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center) and the state's network of 20+ community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Services include:

• Individual and group therapy for depression, anxiety, and adjustment challenges
• Evidence-based PTSD treatment including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and EMDR
• Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment — outpatient counseling, intensive programs, and medication-assisted treatment
• Medication management with VA psychiatrists and mental health providers
• Telehealth appointments so veterans in rural Arizona can get care without long drives

Enrolled veterans can request a mental health appointment through their primary care team, by calling their VA facility directly, or via My HealtheVet secure messaging. Same-day mental health access is available at VA medical centers for urgent needs.

VA Facilities Serving Arizona Veterans

• Phoenix VA Health Care System (Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center)
• Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (Tucson)
• Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (Prescott)

Vet Centers: Free Counseling, No Enrollment Needed

Vet Centers provide free, confidential readjustment counseling to combat veterans, survivors of military sexual trauma, and their families — completely separate from VA medical records and with no enrollment requirement. Counseling covers PTSD, grief, military sexual trauma, and transition stress. Find your nearest Arizona Vet Center at va.gov/find-locations (choose "Vet Centers"), or call 1-877-927-8387 (the 24/7 Vet Center Call Center) any time.

Substance Use and Recovery Support

VA substance use programs in Arizona range from outpatient counseling to residential rehabilitation treatment programs (RRTPs). Veterans can self-refer — you do not need to wait for a provider to bring it up. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is another free, confidential, 24/7 referral line that covers community treatment options throughout Arizona.

Getting Started

• In crisis: Dial 988, then press 1 — available 24/7, no enrollment required
• Not sure what you need: Call Be Connected at 866-429-8387 (866-4AZ-VETS), Mon–Fri 8–5 MST — one call connects you to matched Arizona resources
• Claims help: ADVS benefits counselors file mental health service-connection claims free — dvs.az.gov
• Enrolled in VA care: Call Phoenix VA Health Care System (Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center) and ask for a same-day mental health appointment
• Not enrolled: Contact your nearest Vet Center (1-877-927-8387) for free counseling, or apply for VA health care at VA.gov or 1-877-222-8387
• State help: Contact the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services (ADVS) for local referrals and peer support programs