You Served at a Different Level.
Your Care Should Too.
Your VA benefits give you the right to choose your provider. This guide shows you how to move from generic, volume-based care to therapy built around who you are and what you've been through.
- CCN Credentialed Provider
- TriWest Regions 4 & 5
- TRICARE Accepted
- Veteran-Informed Providers
For informational purposes only. This page explains the VA Community Care Network (CCN) self-scheduling process as a public education resource. Veterans Room is a credentialed CCN provider in TriWest Regions 4 and 5. All care decisions should be coordinated with your VA Medical Center and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. This page is not a solicitation for VA referrals.
Three Foundations of Care
Built for Veterans. From the Beginning.
Every element of Veterans Room, how providers are selected, how care is coordinated, how trust is built, flows from three founding commitments.
Dignified Belonging
“You have a place here, without performance or pretense.”
You belong here because you served. No vulnerability on demand. No need to prove anything to access care. This space exists for you, fully and without condition.
Identity in Motion
“Your story continues, and you remain its author.”
Service shaped you. It doesn’t limit you. Veterans Room supports who you’re becoming without asking you to leave behind who you were. Your next chapter is yours to write.
Trust as a Culture
“Trust isn’t requested, we earn it, every session.”
Not symbolic here. Built through accountability and follow-through. Every no-show investigated. Every drop-off re-engaged. Session by session, every time.
Using Your VA Benefits
If your VA provider has determined you are eligible for community care, you have the right to choose your provider, including one who was built specifically for veterans, by a team with shared military experience and cultural understanding. The VA Community Care Network (CCN), administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance in Regions 4 and 5, makes this possible.
The five steps below will walk you through the process clearly. We believe navigation itself is part of care. You should not have to figure this out alone.
First Step
Confirm Your CCN Eligibility
Contact your VA primary care provider or community care coordinator at your local VA Medical Center (VAMC). Request a community care referral and ask them to confirm your eligibility for the VA Community Care Network.
Once your VAMC determines you are eligible and a referral is approved, VA will generate an authorization. This document is required before any scheduling can begin and before care is covered under CCN.
What to say to your VA provider
“I’d like to request a referral for community care under the CCN program. Can you confirm my eligibility and generate an approved authorization so I can schedule with a specific in-network provider?”
After Approval
Receive Your Referral & Choose Your Path
Once your referral is approved, TriWest will contact you. At that point, you have a choice, TriWest can schedule on your behalf, or you can self-schedule directly with any CCN in-network provider of your choosing.
That choice is yours. Exercising it means you can select a provider who understands military culture, shares your values, and has been screened for genuine mission alignment, not just clinical availability.
-
TriWest contacts you by phone
They confirm your preferences and walk you through your options for selecting a provider and scheduling your own appointment.
-
Elect to self-schedule
Tell TriWest you would like to choose your own provider and schedule the appointment yourself.
-
You have 21 days to schedule
From the date of TriWest's initial call, you must schedule your appointment within 21 days or the referral returns to your VAMC.
Finding a Provider
Search the VA Provider Locator
Use the publicly available VA.gov provider locator to find CCN in-network providers in your area. You can search by specialty type, location, and availability. The provider you choose does not have to be the one TriWest or the VA suggests, the choice belongs to you.
How to search the VA.gov locator
Go to VA.gov → Search for community providers → Select "Community Providers (in VA's network)" as Facility Type → Enter the Service Type from your approved referral (e.g., Mental Health, Behavioral Health, Counseling). Begin typing and matching options will appear in a dropdown.
You can also ask your VA care coordinator or TriWest to help identify providers who specialize in your area of need, including those with experience serving veterans and military populations.
Making the Call
Schedule Your Appointment
Once you have identified a provider, call their office directly to schedule. Have your approved referral information ready, including your authorization number and the specialty type listed on the referral letter.
Before ending the call, confirm the appointment date and time, the session format (in-person or telehealth), and any documentation you should have ready for your first session.
Word-for-Word Calling Script
What to Say When You Call
Use this script, adapted directly from TriWest’s own published language, when calling a provider’s office to schedule your community care appointment. You don’t have to figure out the right words. Here they are.
“Hello, my name is [Your Name]. I have a referral for [Specialty Type, e.g., mental health / behavioral health] care from my VA Medical Center provider.
I found your office on the VA.gov provider locator, which shows that you are in the Community Care Network for TriWest Healthcare Alliance.
I would like to schedule an appointment with [Provider Name, if known]. My VA authorization number is [Authorization Number from your referral letter] .”
Critical next step: Once your appointment is confirmed, you must notify TriWest within 24 hours by emailing VeteranAppointments@TriWest.com. Without this step, your provider will not receive the necessary authorization paperwork and your session may not be covered.
Final Step
Notify TriWest Within 24 Hours
After scheduling, email TriWest at VeteranAppointments@TriWest.com to confirm your appointment has been booked. Include your name, the provider's name, and your appointment date and time.
This step ensures your provider receives the authorization letter and all necessary documentation before your first visit. Skipping it can result in billing complications or your care not being covered under CCN.
Stay In-Network
You must use a TriWest CCN in-network provider. Scheduling with an out-of-network provider without prior authorization may make you responsible for all costs incurred.
No Copays Under CCN
CCN providers are not permitted to charge copays, cost-shares, or deductibles for covered services. You should never receive a balance bill for a CCN-covered appointment.
90-Day Authorization Window
If you do not self-schedule within 90 days of your approved referral being generated, the authorization returns to your VAMC and the process restarts.
Need More Sessions?
If additional care is needed beyond what was authorized, your provider can submit a Request for Services (RFS) to your VAMC on your behalf. Ask your provider about this process.
Official VA & TriWest Resources
TriWest and the VA have dedicated support lines for veterans navigating community care. For questions about eligibility, referral status, or finding an in-network provider, contact official channels directly.