Vet Center Scholarship Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will establish a Vet Center Scholarship Program to assist individuals pursuing graduate degrees in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling.
On Nov 21, 2022, VA posted a final rule for public inspection in the Federal Register (86 FR 81094) to create this scholarship program. The rule originates from the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 which created the scholarship program as an incentive to train more individuals in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy or mental health counseling.
What to expect
VA expects scholarship applications to be available by March 2023, and provide funding to cover up to two years of graduate studies for individuals pursuing these degrees. Recipients will be selected and their scholarships awarded by the end of April 2023. Upon completion of their degrees, these mental health professionals will then serve full time for a period of six years at one of VA’s 300 Vet Centers across the country, specifically, in underserved areas and in states with a per-capita population of more than 5% Veterans.
Application process
The application process is currently being developed and will be posted on the program's page when available. Please visit the VA Scholarship Program page for all updates and additional information.
What are Vet Centers?
Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional counseling to eligible Veterans, service members, including National Guard and Reserve components and their families. 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. In Fiscal Year 2022, 286,907 Veterans, service members (including members of the National Guard and Reserves) and their families received counseling at VA’s 300 Vet Centers, totaling nearly 1.34 million visits and outreach contacts.
New York City Vet Center Locations:
Manhattan Vet Center
519 8th Ave
Suite 2401
New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 951-6866
Directions (Google Maps)
Harlem Vet Center
2279 3rd Avenue
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10035-2249
Phone: (646) 273-8139
Directions (Google Maps)
Bronx Vet Center
2471 Morris Avenue
Suite 1A
Bronx, NY 10468-5450
Phone: (718) 367-3500
Directions (Google Maps)
Brooklyn Vet Center
25 Chapel Street
Suite 604
Brooklyn, NY 11201-1954
Phone: (718) 630-2830
Directions (Google Maps)
Staten Island Vet Center
60 Bay Street
Staten Island, NY 10301
Phone: (718) 816-4499
Directions (Google Maps)