Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a new hotline, the Veterans Linkage Lineª, that provides comprehensive assistance and crisis intervention for veterans and their families.

The toll-free customer service line is the first of its kind in the nation and will provide information and assistance, immediate crisis intervention and psychological counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The phone number for LinkVet is 888/546-5838. 

LinkVet will be answered by trained staff at Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and Crisis Connection, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit mental health telephone counseling service. MDVA staff, who are veterans themselves, will manage the lines Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Crisis Connection social workers will field all crisis calls, 24/7. 

LinkVet was developed by the Governor’s Yellow Ribbon Task Force Crisis Line Workgroup. This group met during the spring of 2007 and included representatives from several state agencies including DHS, the National Guard and nonprofit veteran services providers.