Counseling and Wellness Program

The Counseling and Wellness Program creates community-based avenues for mental health services to support the needs of veterans and families.

Services provided throughout the program include individual, couples, family, and group counseling for veterans and families. Some contractors offer group services specific to women veterans and spouses of veterans. Veterans may be referred to specialized inpatient or outpatient treatment offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers or Vet Centers within Washington State.

Our licensed mental health professional contractors offer a wide range of specialized treatment services, as well as linkage to a variety of other services, offering the highest level of confidentiality possible.

Eligibility (all Counties except King)

1. These mental health services are not related to discharge status.

2. Washington State National Guard or Military Reserve members deployed in support of the nation’s war and peacekeeping missions, and their family members

3. Veterans and families need to demonstrate their mental health needs were impacted by military services.

4. No VA service connected disability for any condition is required for this service within the WDVA Counseling Program

5. Services are free to qualified veterans and families.

6. Priority is given to those most vulnerable or having no other reasonable options for care.

7. Call a counselor directly to make an appointment.  Find a Counselor

Eligibility in King County

Veterans, Military servicemembers and their families

 Definitions for these targeted populations are:

1. Military servicemember: A person currently serving in a branch of the military, including the National Guard and reservists for any branch of the military.
2. Veteran: A person who has served as either an active duty or a reservist member of the US Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Coast Guard; or a person who has served in the National Guard.
3. Veteran Family: A veteran’s or military servicemember’s spouse, domestic partner or child, or the child of the spouse or domestic partner, or other dependent relatives if living in the household of a veteran or military servicemember.

Seeking clinicians in King County

The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) War Trauma Program seeks clinicians who are proficient and competent in military and veteran culture, are licensed, trauma-informed, mental health clinicians and able to provide professional counseling services to Veterans and their families. We seek mental behavioral health clinicians whose practices are located north of Seattle and within King County, South of Seattle within South King County, and on the Eastside. Interested clinicians can provide a letter detailing why they would like to become a WDVA provider and their interest in serving Veterans and their families. Veterans and family members of veterans are encouraged to respond. Please address the letter to  Director, Counseling and Wellness Programs, 1102 Quince St. SE, Olympia, WA  98504-1155.

Services to Higher Education

The Counseling Program provides in-service training and consultation to college and university counseling and other professional staff, and faculty members. This special program is designed to address the mental health needs of veterans who have returned to school after discharge from the military, and who seek assistance at student counseling centers on campus. Along with expert help with counseling methods, military and veteran cultural awareness training, providers are given instruction in how to use the sometimes complex services network available to war veterans and their family members. University and college counselors are encouraged to call the PTSD Program Director for more information.

FEDERAL VA COMMUNITY PROVIDER TOOLKIT