Free veteran mental health resources.
Veterans, service members, and military families can access many mental health resources at no cost. Some are open to anyone who served; others have service, discharge, location, or clinical eligibility rules. This guide explains what each program offers, who may qualify, and how to get started. Because eligibility, clinic locations, and program terms can change, confirm the details with the provider before relying on them.
Last reviewed: July 21, 2026 · U.S.-focused · Informational only — not medical advice or an endorsement of any provider.
In crisis right now? The Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential, and 24/7 — no VA enrollment needed.
Dial 988, then press 1. Or text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. Family members and supporters can use it too.
If you need help now
Veterans Crisis Line and Military Crisis Line
The Veterans Crisis Line provides free, confidential crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. VA enrollment is not required. Veterans, service members — including members of the National Guard and Reserve — and people concerned about them can contact the line.
- Call 988, then press 1
- Text 838255
- Chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net
- For TTY, call 711, then 988
Calls are answered by trained VA responders, many of whom are veterans. A responder can also connect an eligible caller with local follow-up support. Confidentiality has limited exceptions, including situations involving immediate danger.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Anyone in the United States can call or text 988 for free, confidential crisis support at any time. Press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA to 988.
Emergency suicide care under the COMPACT Act
If you are in an acute suicidal crisis, go to the nearest emergency department or call 911. Certain veterans and former service members may qualify for VA-paid emergency suicide care at a VA medical center or community hospital emergency department even if they are not enrolled in VA health care. For an eligible episode, coverage may include:
- Emergency treatment
- Up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis-residential care
- Up to 90 days of related outpatient care
- Necessary transportation connected with the episode
This benefit is limited to qualifying emergency suicide care. It does not make every emergency-room visit free, and it does not apply to urgent-care clinics. Eligibility includes:
- Former members discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable
- Former members, including Reserve members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation — including qualifying unmanned-aircraft service — and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
- Former members who experienced military sexual trauma while serving
Tell the emergency-department staff that you served in the military. If you receive a bill for care you believe should be covered, contact the patient advocate at the nearest VA medical center or the VA community-care office.
Free services that do not require VA health care enrollment
These programs do not require enrollment in VA health care, but each has its own eligibility rules.
VA Vet Centers
Free — no VA enrollment neededFree, confidential counseling and support in community-based, non-medical settings. Services may include individual and group counseling, couples or family counseling when connected to an eligible client’s readjustment, military sexual trauma counseling, bereavement counseling, and referrals for other care. Hours vary by location: some Vet Centers offer appointments outside ordinary business hours, but evening and weekend appointments are not available everywhere.
Who’s eligible: Many veterans and service members who served in a combat theater or area of hostility, experienced military sexual trauma, provided qualifying mortuary or casualty services, served as members of qualifying remotely piloted aircraft crews, or meet another eligibility category listed by VA. Certain family members and bereaved families may also receive services; exact eligibility depends on the circumstances. VA health care enrollment and a service-connected disability rating are not required, and there is generally no post-service time limit.
How to start: Call 877-927-8387 at any time or use the VA Vet Center locator. Full eligibility rules: vetcenter.va.gov/Eligibility.asp.
Military sexual trauma (MST) care
Free — regardless of discharge statusVA provides free care for mental and physical health conditions related to military sexual trauma. You do not need a VA disability rating, proof that the incident occurred, or a record showing that you reported it at the time, and length-of-service and income requirements do not apply. Treatment can include outpatient mental health care and, when clinically appropriate and available, more intensive or residential care.
Who’s eligible: Veterans and former service members, including many with an other-than-honorable discharge; eligibility involving other discharge characterizations is determined by VA. Current service members can receive MST-related counseling through Vet Centers — access to VA medical treatment while on active duty may require coordination with the service member’s military health system.
How to start: Contact an MST Coordinator at a VA medical center, or contact a Vet Center. If your discharge was other than honorable, see VA’s guidance on benefits after an other-than-honorable discharge.
VA Solid Start
FreeVA Solid Start contacts newly separated service members during their first year after separation — generally around 90, 180, and 365 days — to help them understand and connect with benefits and resources.
Who’s eligible: Newly separated service members. Participation does not depend on discharge status.
How to start: Calls come from 800-827-0611. Keep your phone number, email address, and mailing address current with VA.
Military OneSource non-medical counseling
FreeFree, confidential, short-term non-medical counseling for concerns such as stress, relationships, grief, deployment, and parenting — up to 12 sessions per issue, per person, by phone, secure video, online chat, or in person, depending on availability. Non-medical counseling does not diagnose or treat mental health disorders; counselors refer people who need clinical treatment to military health care, TRICARE, or another appropriate provider.
Who’s eligible: Active-duty service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve regardless of activation status, eligible family members, and survivors. Recently separated service members and eligible family members generally retain access for 365 days after separation or retirement.
How to start: Call 800-342-9647, available 24/7. Eligibility details: Military OneSource eligibility guide.
VA mental health care
VA offers outpatient therapy, psychiatry, medication management, PTSD treatment, substance-use treatment, peer support, residential programs, inpatient care, and urgent mental health services. Available programs differ by facility and clinical need.
Some former service members can receive VA mental health services without enrolling in VA health care. This includes free mental health care during the first year after separation, regardless of discharge status, service history, or ordinary VA health care eligibility.
For enrolled veterans, copays depend on disability rating, income, priority group, service connection, and special eligibility authorities. Some services are copay-exempt. Through December 29, 2027, eligible veterans who would otherwise owe outpatient mental health or substance-use copays can receive their first three qualifying visits in each calendar year without a copay.
VA also provides mental health care through telehealth; availability varies by service and facility. VA Video Connect is free, and VA has arrangements with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon intended to help eligible subscribers avoid mobile-data charges while using the app.
To get started:
- Apply for VA health care at VA.gov/health-care
- Call the VA health benefits hotline at 877-222-8387, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern
- If already enrolled, contact your VA mental health clinic directly or ask your primary-care team to connect you
- For urgent mental health needs, contact a VA medical center or the Veterans Crisis Line
Sources: VA mental health services, mental health copay exemptions, current VA copay rules, and VA telehealth access.
Nonprofit counseling and treatment
Nonprofit capacity, provider availability, and geographic coverage change. Complete each organization’s screening process before assuming you qualify.
Give an Hour
FreeGive an Hour connects eligible clients with participating mental health professionals who provide services without charging the client. Provider availability varies by state, license, specialty, and whether an individual volunteer is accepting new clients.
Who’s eligible: Active-duty personnel, veterans of any era or discharge status, members of the National Guard and Reserve, and broadly defined family members and loved ones.
How to start: Start with Give an Hour’s provider search, then contact the provider directly.
Wounded Warrior Project mental health programs
Free for registered warriorsWounded Warrior Project (WWP) provides services at no cost to registered warriors and eligible family members. Warrior Care Network is an accelerated, approximately two-week outpatient brain-health program delivered through four academic medical centers — treatment, travel, lodging, and meals are provided at no cost to eligible participants. Project Odyssey is a 12-week mental health program that begins with a five-day workshop and continues with follow-up support, with travel, food, and lodging included for eligible participants. WWP Talk is scheduled, one-to-one telephone support and coaching — emotional support, not psychotherapy or crisis care.
Who’s eligible: Primarily people who served on or after September 11, 2001, and experienced a qualifying wound, illness, or injury connected to service, plus eligible family members. Eligibility and family participation vary by program.
How to start: Call the WWP Resource Center at 888-997-2586. Program details: Project Odyssey.
The Headstrong Project
Free for the first 30 sessionsHeadstrong provides trauma-focused outpatient mental health care through a network of clinicians; services and geographic coverage vary by location. Headstrong currently covers the full cost of a client’s first 30 sessions. After 30 sessions, the client pays a low copay directly to the clinician while Headstrong covers the remainder — ask Headstrong to confirm the current copay before beginning care.
Who’s eligible: Eligible veterans, service members, and military-connected family members.
How to start: Begin with Headstrong’s online intake.
Cohen Veterans Network (Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics)
Low or no cost — confirm with your clinicCohen Clinics provide outpatient mental health care, case management, and telehealth where available. The network says cost will not prevent care, but billing arrangements vary: clinics may bill insurance, including TRICARE, and patient costs can differ by clinic and coverage. Confirm the expected cost directly with the clinic before treatment.
Who’s eligible: Post-9/11 veterans — including National Guard and Reserve members — regardless of occupational specialty, discharge status, or length of service; military family members as broadly defined by the network; and service members. Active-duty members need a TRICARE referral.
How to start: Contact your nearest Cohen Clinic directly; telehealth is available where offered.
Free peer support, community, and education
The following services can complement clinical care, but they do not replace emergency help, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed clinician.
Vets4Warriors
FreeFree, confidential peer support 24/7, staffed by veterans, with continued follow-up. It is a peer-support service, not an emergency crisis line.
Who’s eligible: Veterans, service members, family members, and caregivers.
How to start: Call or text 855-838-8255.
Objective Zero
FreeThe free Objective Zero app connects military-community members anonymously with trained volunteer peer supporters by text, voice, or video, and includes wellness and mental health resources. Objective Zero has peer supporters across all 50 states, but it is not a crisis line or a substitute for professional treatment.
Who’s eligible: Members of the military community.
Boulder Crest Foundation — Warrior PATHH
FreeA free, 90-day, peer-delivered posttraumatic-growth training program that begins with a five-day in-person initiation followed by structured support and training. Warrior PATHH is not psychotherapy, medical care, or medication management; applicants are screened for eligibility and current safety. Travel, lodging, meals, and program services are provided at no personal cost to participants.
Who’s eligible: Eligible combat veterans, active service members, and first responders.
Team Red, White & Blue
FreeA free health-and-wellness community offering fitness, social activities, and volunteer-led events. It promotes connection and wellbeing but does not provide clinical mental health treatment.
Who’s eligible: Veterans, service members, and supporters.
Team Rubicon
FreeA veteran-led disaster-response and humanitarian-service organization. Volunteering can provide purpose and community, but Team Rubicon is not a mental health treatment provider.
Who’s eligible: Veterans and civilians.
The Mission Continues
FreeConnects veterans with community-service projects and leadership opportunities. Its work can foster connection and purpose but is not clinical mental health care.
Who’s eligible: Veterans.
PsychArmor
FreeMore than 200 free online courses on military culture, suicide prevention, caregiving, and related topics. The courses are educational and do not constitute counseling or treatment.
Who’s eligible: Anyone who supports veterans, plus caregivers and families.
Face the Fight
FreeA national coalition and grantmaking initiative focused on veteran suicide prevention. Its website can help visitors discover participating organizations, but Face the Fight is not itself a crisis line or clinical provider.
Who’s eligible: Anyone looking for veteran suicide-prevention programs.
Support for bereaved families and loved ones
TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors)
FreeTAPS provides free support to people grieving the death of a military or veteran loved one, regardless of their relationship to the person who died or the circumstances, location, or timing of the death. Services include a 24/7 helpline, peer mentors, grief seminars, youth programs, casework, and connections to community grief counseling. TAPS’ core survivor services are free.
How to start: Call 800-959-8277 at any time.
Services that may be discounted or covered — but are not universally free
These options are real and sometimes valuable, but they are not simply “free for veterans.” Know the terms before you rely on them.
BetterHelp veteran promotion
One free month, payment method requiredBetterHelp currently advertises one free month of online therapy for veterans. A valid payment method is required before speaking with a therapist; BetterHelp states that the user will not be charged if the membership is canceled within the first month. Continued service after the promotional month is a paid, automatically renewing subscription, and the price shown during signup can vary. Review the current renewal price and cancellation date during enrollment and save a copy for your records.
Talkspace and TRICARE
Paid service — TRICARE may cover itTalkspace is a paid service that accepts several insurance plans, including TRICARE. Talkspace says the average TRICARE member copay for its therapy or psychiatry services is $0, but an individual member’s cost depends on their plan and coverage. Active-duty service members need a referral; eligible family members, dependents, and retirees generally do not. Do not assume care is free until Talkspace and TRICARE confirm your benefits and expected out-of-pocket cost.
Warriors Heart
Private residential program, not universally freeWarriors Heart operates private residential programs for veterans, service members, and first responders with substance-use and co-occurring mental health conditions. It is not a universally free program: payment may come from TRICARE, commercial insurance, authorized VA Community Care, private payment, or limited financial assistance, and coverage and admission depend on clinical and financial screening. Confirm network status, authorization, deductibles, copays, and any noncovered charges in writing before admission.
State and local veteran programs
State, territorial, tribal, and county programs vary. Search the official website of your state or territorial veterans agency, or contact an accredited county or state veterans service officer.
For example, Texas supports veteran peer services through the Military Veteran Peer Network and funds veteran mental health services through local providers via the Texas Veterans Commission’s mental health department. Eligibility and services differ by location.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be enrolled in VA health care to receive free mental health help?
Not for every service. The Veterans Crisis Line, eligible Vet Center services, MST-related care, qualifying COMPACT Act emergency suicide care, Solid Start, and Military OneSource do not require VA health care enrollment. Each program still has its own eligibility rules.
Can someone with an other-than-honorable discharge receive free care?
Often, yes. The Veterans Crisis Line has no discharge-status barrier. People with an other-than-honorable discharge may qualify for MST-related care, Vet Center counseling, emergency mental health care, and certain other VA services. Some nonprofits also serve veterans regardless of discharge status. Eligibility should be confirmed with the individual program.
Does the COMPACT Act make emergency-room care free for every veteran?
No. It covers qualifying emergency suicide care for people who meet its service and discharge rules. It does not cover unrelated emergency care and does not apply to urgent-care clinics.
Are BetterHelp and Talkspace free for veterans?
Not as a universal ongoing benefit. BetterHelp currently offers veterans a one-month promotion that requires a payment method and becomes paid unless canceled within the promotional period. Talkspace may have little or no out-of-pocket cost through TRICARE or another insurer, but the final cost depends on the person's coverage.
What support is available to family members?
Family members and supporters can contact the Veterans Crisis Line about a veteran or service member. Depending on eligibility, families may also receive support through Vet Centers, Military OneSource, Give an Hour, Cohen Veterans Network, Wounded Warrior Project, Vets4Warriors, and TAPS. The type of service and eligibility differ by program.
About ThriveTalk
ThriveTalk is a private online therapy practice. It is not affiliated with VA, the Department of Defense, or the organizations listed above, and it is not a crisis service. If a free program on this page meets your needs, contact that program directly. If you are seeking ongoing private therapy, review ThriveTalk’s current clinician availability, insurance participation, and expected cost before scheduling — you can match with a therapist, and our crisis resources page lists general and state-specific hotlines.
Resource availability, eligibility rules, phone numbers, insurance arrangements, and promotional terms can change; each factual section above links to a primary source, and this guide is rechecked on a regular review schedule (last reviewed July 21, 2026). It is informational and U.S.-focused — not medical advice, and inclusion is not an endorsement. Nothing here guarantees eligibility, coverage, clinical results, or zero cost for every reader; confirm details with each organization before relying on them.