To Advocate. To Educate. To Empower. Together. 
Suffolk County is home to more veterans than any of the state’s 62 counties. That means we have a special responsibility to help ensure that those who have served our country receive appropriate support when it comes to securing decent affordable housing, training and employment opportunities, mental health assistance, and other necessary services.
Founded in 1989 by Vietnam War veteran John Lynch, Suffolk County United Veterans (SCUV) initially focused on meeting the housing needs of the county’s homeless veterans. As the years passed, under Lynch’s dedicated leadership, SCUV’s mission would expand to include a broad range of support services, all dedicated to maintaining the dignity and self-sufficiency of returning Veterans.
Today, as a program of the Association for Mental Health and Wellness (MHAW), SCUV is even stronger, coordinating an interrelated and comprehensive set of services all aimed at integrating those who return from combat into civilian life. These services include:
Joseph P. Dwyer Project
Open to any Suffolk County veteran of any era, the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Project provides a bridge for Veterans to help other Veterans.
Crisis Support
The Response Crisis Hotline at 631-751-7500 operates 24/7/365. They field calls on a broad range of issues including crisis intervention and referrals.
Veterans Health Alliance of Long Island
Click here to access VHALI's excellent publications: VHALI Resource Guide, Veterans Employment Resource Guide, and Aging Veterans Resource Guide.
Housing
No Veteran should be homeless, and SCUV offers a broad spectrum of housing-related services including the emergency shelter at the John J. Lynch Veterans Place.
Eradicating Veterans Homelessness
SCUV is a partner in the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, aimed at helping low-income Veteran families to secure permanent housing.
Education and Job Training
SCUV works with individual Veterans to match their skills and interests to marketable job opportunities, delivering training and placement services.
Case Management
Dedicated SCUV case managers develop individualized wellness plans based upon assessments of physical and health, finances, employment, and education.
Food Pantries
We run two food pantries for Veterans and their families: at the Lynch Veterans Place in Yaphank and at Helping Hands in Riverhead.