The goal of the Vet Center Program is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to eligible veterans in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life.

Parents, spouses and children of armed forces personnel who died in the service of their country and family members of Reservists & National Guardsmen who died while on duty are offered bereavement counseling at the Vet Center. 

Vet Center Services are free to eligible veterans and families.

Visit the National VA Vet Center web site to learn more, including detailed information about eligibility for services and the history of the Vet Center Program.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Vet Center Staff respect the privacy of all veterans.  We hold in the strictest confidence all information disclosed in the counseling process.  No information will be released to any person or agency without written consent from the client, except in circumstances averting a crisis.

Veterans in crisis may also contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Readjustment Counseling Services

• Individual counseling
• Group counseling
• Marital and family counseling
• Agent Orange information and medical referrals
• Referral for VA benefits
• Employment counseling referral
• Alcohol/drug referral
• Information and referral to community resources
• Sexual trauma referral
• Bereavement counseling

PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress

Post Traumatic Stress is a set of reactions to a trauma such as war, which can be experienced by almost anyone. With the passage of time, when feelings or issues related to the trauma are not dealt with but are suppressed by the individual it sometimes becomes a disorder (PTSD). This can result in problems of readjusting to community life. A delayed stress reaction may surface after many years and include some or all of the following problems:

• Anger, irritability, and rage
• Feeling nervous
• Depression
• Difficulty trusting others
• Feeling guilty while others did not survive
• Hyper alertness and startle reactions
• Feeling grief or sadness
• Distress thoughts and memories that persist
• Isolation and alienation
• Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
• Low tolerance to stress
• Problems with authority
• Problems feeling good about one self or low self worth
• Nightmares
• Substance abuse
• Trouble sleeping
• Anxiety
• Paranoia

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has been enhanced to provide a new service for veterans in crisis. Veterans will be connected immediately to VA suicide prevention and mental health service professionals by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and pressing 1.

Visit Mental Health to listen to audio from the lifeline and get further information.

Staff Profiles

Staff portraits and phone numbers are available by clicking the links in the Key Staff section at the top right of this page.

Wayne Plummer, LCSW, Readjustment Counseling Service Team Leader

Mr. Plummer was a part of the US Army Reserves since January of 2002 as a Social Worker.  He also used to be a local police officer and then deputy in his hometown of Carthage, New York while completing his Associates (Criminal Justice) and Bachelor degree (Psychology with minor in Health Science).  Mr. Plummer completed his Masters of Social Work degree in 2000 from Florida State University.  He was employed with the Tampa VA since July 2000, transferring to the Ft. Myers outstation in January 2003.  Mr. Plummer has been the Team Leader of the Gainesville Vet Center since June of 2007.

 

Nicole DeLaCerda, MSW, Readjustment Counseling Therapist

Nicole was in the Air Force from June 1992 to July 2002 as an Information Manager.  Served two tours: (1) a four month deployment to the United Arab Emirates in support of “Operation Southern Watch” working with the Commander’s Support Staff.; and (2) a nine-month tour to Araxos Air Base, Greece in support of NATO operations.  Participated in Presidentially mandated, “Operation Creek Axe” as a custodial agent.  Nicole earned her Bachelors degree in Social Psychology from Park University.  She received her Masters of Social Work degree from Valdosta State University in 2007.  She completed her first internship with hospice and her second at the Lake City VAMC.   Nicole has been with the Vet Center since February of 2008.

Melanie Keller, Office Manager

Melanie is a retired Hospital Corpsman specialized as a Surgical Technologist and a Field Medical Corpsman (20 years). Served two tours with the Marines: (1) 1st FSSG, Medical Battalion, Camp Pendleton, CA where she served in “Operation Restore Hope” in Kuwait as Medical Support Company; “Operation Native Fury” in Somalia as Fleet Hospital Surgical Support. (2) 2nd FSSG, Medical Battalion, Camp Lejuene, NC where she served in “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Djibouti as the First Response Surgical Support Team in support of Joint Task Force Horn of Africa and Global War on Terrorism; “Operation Secure Tomorrow” in Haiti as the Surgical Support Company.  Ms. Keller has been with the Gainesville Vet Center since August of 2007.