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.

Texas State Mental Health Programs

Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN)

The Military Veteran Peer Network — run by the Texas Veterans Commission's Veterans Mental Health Department in partnership with local mental health authorities — connects veterans with trained veteran peers in communities across Texas. Peers offer one-on-one support, group meetings, and "warm handoffs" into clinical care when you want it. It is free, and you do not need VA enrollment or a diagnosis. Find your local peer coordinator at milvetpeer.net or through tvc.texas.gov/mental-health.

Texas Veterans + Family Alliance (TV+FA) Grants

The TV+FA grant program, administered by Texas Health and Human Services, funds community organizations across Texas to provide free or low-cost mental health services — counseling, therapy, and family support — to veterans and their family members. Grantees operate in most major metro areas and many rural counties; your MVPN peer coordinator or local mental health authority can point you to the TV+FA-funded provider serving your county.

Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs)

Texas is divided into 39 local mental health authorities that provide community mental health services on a sliding scale, and each LMHA has a veteran point of contact through the MVPN partnership. If VA care is far away — common in rural Texas — your LMHA is often the closest door.

Texas Veterans Commission Counselors

TVC claims counselors and veteran career advisors work alongside the Veterans Mental Health Department, so one office can help with a disability claim, employment stress, and a counseling referral in the same visit. Find your nearest TVC office at tvc.texas.gov.

VA Mental Health Services in Texas

VA mental health care in Texas is delivered through Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Houston) and the state's network of 70+ 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 Texas 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 Texas Veterans

• Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Houston)
• VA North Texas Health Care System (Dallas)
• South Texas Veterans Health Care System (San Antonio)
• Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (Temple)

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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas.

Getting Started

• In crisis: Dial 988, then press 1 — available 24/7, no enrollment required
• Want a veteran peer, not a clinic: Find your Military Veteran Peer Network coordinator at milvetpeer.net
• Far from a VA facility: Your local mental health authority (LMHA) provides sliding-scale community care with a veteran point of contact
• Enrolled in VA care: Call Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Houston) 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 Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) for local referrals and peer support programs