If you are a Veteran and in need of immediate assistance, please contact the Veteran's Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1.
Millions of Americans wear the honorable title of Veteran, and our great State of Maine has one of the highest percentages of Veterans in the country. As the daughter of a World War II Purple Heart recipient, I know that the heroes who wear the uniforms of America’s armed forces are patriotic, caring men and women who have put aside the comforts of civilian life to advance the cause of freedom. We owe them all a great debt.
I am a strong advocate of all of those who are serving or have served in our nation's Armed Forces and have worked hard to ensure that the federal government maintains a strong commitment to Service Members and Veterans alike, particularly those who have suffered the visible and invisible wounds of service.
For more information, please sign up for my Veteran's Newsletter.
Federal Resources for Veterans
US Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Togus Regional Benefits Office
VA's Togus Regional Benefits Office (RO) administers a variety of services for Veterans, Service Members, their families, and survivors in Maine. VA Togus RO offers the following additional services:
- Counseling about eligibility for VA benefits and how to apply, including disability compensation, VA home loans, education and the Post-9/11 GI Bill, insurance, pension, vocational rehabilitation, and employment benefits
- Information about VA health care and memorial benefits
- Outreach to Veterans, including those who are homeless or at risk for homelessness and older, minority, and women Veterans
VA Maine Health Care System
Located in Augusta, the Togus VA Medical Center is a full-scale facility with general medical, surgical, intermediate, and mental health services, as well as a nursing home consisting of skilled and longer stay beds and a dementia unit. There is a satellite clinic in Houlton and a mental health outpatient clinic in Portland.
VA's Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)
VA's Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) deliver care closer to home and extend the services provided by VA to outlying parts of the state. CBOCs have a full complement of VA staff providing medical, mental health, and administrative services to Veterans. They are located in Bangor, Calais, Caribou, Fort Kent, Houlton, Lewiston, Lincoln, Portland, and Rumford.
VA Vet Centers
Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Readjustment counseling is offered to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military such as a deployment or military sexual trauma. Vet Centers also offer bereavement counseling to family members of Armed Forces personnel who died in the service of their country. In Maine, we have five VA-operated Vet Centers located in Bangor, Caribou, Lewiston, Portland, and Springvale. Please contact your nearest Vet Center for more information.
Veterans Crisis Line
Please always remember that you matter – to your family, your friends, your fellow Veterans, and to us - your fellow citizens. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Senator Collins' Constituent Service Centers
If you have problems resolving an issue with a federal agency such as the VA and need assistance, please contact one of my six constituent service centers where my staff are ready to assist you.
State Resources
The Bureau ensures that Maine Veterans and their dependents receive all entitlements due under the law, are relieved to the extent possible of financial hardship, receive every opportunity for self-improvement through higher education, and are afforded proper recognition for their service and sacrifice to our nation. In addition to the main office, the Bureau has six field service offices strategically located throughout the state and a claims office located at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Togus.
Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System
The Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System consists of four cemeteries, two in Augusta, one in Caribou, and one in Springvale.
Maine Veterans' Homes
Maine Veterans' Homes (MVH) is a public, nonprofit organization that works closely with state and federal agencies, veterans' service organizations, VA, and local communities to provide long-term care services to veterans and eligible family members. MVH has operations in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias, Scarborough, and South Paris.
