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Join our Team

VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) and VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) were commissioned by Congress and the VA as one of the first three Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECCs) in the United States. NW MIRECC serves VA as a research, education, and clinical facility that is continually looking for talented individuals committed to improving the lives of our nation's Veterans. NW MIRECC substantially enhances the capacity and potential of VISN 20 to generate and disseminate new knowledge about mental illness, unseen wounds of war, and treatments. In the Pacific Northwest, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 serves Veterans in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, most of Idaho, and one county each in Montana and California. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles, VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. The U.S. government recognizes 574 American Indian tribes and Alaska Native entities. Encompassing 23% of the US's land area, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA. As of the end of FY2024, 39% of VISN 20 enrollees resided in rural or highly rural areas. If you are a researcher or are interested in supporting our research, please check the USAJobs website for information about our current job openings. VA is one of the largest employers of health care providers in the nation — but our jobs aren’t just limited to medical professionals. Explore the types of careers at VA; Physicians, Nursing, Pharmacy, Mental Health, Social Work, Technology, Leadership, Executive, Administration, Audiologists, Dietitians, Health technicians, Imaging technicians, Medical support, Occupational therapists, Orthotist-Prosthetists, Physical therapists, Paramedics, Respiratory therapists, Claims processors, Cemetery caretakers and many more! There are Veterans Canteen Service Field Management and Hourly job openings at VA Medical Centers across the country. Visit https://vacareers.va.gov/careers/ to learn more about our mission.

About Seattle, Washington and VAPSHCS

Seattle is situated off the shores of Lake Washington and Puget Sound. The earliest inhabitants of the Puget Sound region include the Suquamish, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, and Snoqualmie. Washington is home to twenty-nine federally recognized Native American tribes. In the distance are the mountain ranges of the Cascades and Olympics. There are five active volcanoes near Seattle along the Cascades Range. Of the five, Mount Ranier stands the tallest at 14,410 feet above sea level. Seattle, founded in 1853, was named for Chief Seattle of the Suquamish and Duwamish Tribes. Seattle operates as a major port of entry and gateway to Alaska and Asia for both air and sea. The deep waters of the Pacific reach into the Seattle-metro with Tacoma to the south, Bellevue to the east, and Everett to the north. Founded as a mill town, the city was built on hills. Seattle mill owners slid logs down the hills to the waterfront ports, coining the term, skid row. With six professional teams, Seattle is a destination for every major sport. The American Lake Veterans Golf Course, on the grounds of the VA Hospital in Lakewood, is an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. American Lake Veterans Golf Course is open to all Veterans, families, guests, U.S. Armed Forces Active-Duty, National Guard, Reservists, and VA employees. The American Lake campus of VAPSHCS has operated for over 100 years. The first patients of American Lake VA Medical Center arrived in 1924 transferred from Fort Steilacoom Western State Hospital. Construction of the Seattle VA Medical Center started in the 1940s, utilizing a 44-acre nine-hole golf course donated by Seattle at Jefferson Park, which had been the U.S. Army's largest recreation center during World War II. The geographic proximity of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Madigan Army Medical Center to the Seattle Washington VAPSHCS campus has provided an exciting opportunity to develop innovative and productive research, education, and clinical care collaborations with Department of Defense (DoD) personnel. In 2025, VA Puget Sound Health Care System announced the official opening of its new VA Puget Sound Clinic in Oak Harbor, developed in collaboration with Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor. This partnership, a first-of-its-kind for the VA and DoD in Washington State, marks a significant milestone in enhancing health care access for Veterans in one of western Washington’s most geographically challenging island communities. 

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) steams through the Puget Sound following a three month underway towards its new homeport, Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, Aug. 13, 2024. After nine years as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed flagship aircraft carrier, Ronald Reagan shifted into the 3rd Fleet area of operations to undergo a routine maintenance period in Bremerton. Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Heather C. Wamsley)

About Portland, Oregon and VAPORHCS

In 1805, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagewea finally reached the Pacific Northwest territories through the Columbia River gorge. The Chinook people were the earliest inhabitants of the Portland Basin, including the Clackamas, Multnomah, Tualatin, and Cathlamet. Oregon is home to nine federally recognized Native American tribes. Portland is located on the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers and was three separate towns until the first bridges were built in 1887 and 1888. Founded in 1854, Portland is Oregon’s largest city. To the north of the city, VA has been serving Veterans in nearby Washington towns since May 1946 when President Truman authorized the transfer of the U.S. Army Barnes General Hospital to VA. Portland VA Medical Center (PVAMC) is situated atop a 450-foot-tall basalt-rock hill south of the densly populated downtown. The surrounding Willamette Valley counties to the south are colloquially known as Oregon Wine Country, comprised of the North Valley, Mid-Valley, South Valley, and West Cascades. Along with Portland's professional sporting events, world-class outdoor sports and adventure activities are found at sea, air, and land throughout the Willamette Valley. South of PVAMC through the I-5 corridor, the towns of Lake Oswego, West Linn, and Tualitan, connect up the South Valley and Mid-Valley towns of Albany, Corvallis, and the Oregon state capital in Salem. To the west, the towns of Beaverton and Hillsboro are the gateway to the Silicon Forest and the North Valley. Along with the U.S. Forest Service Radio Lab of Portland, financial investments into Information Technology started in 20th century. The Silicon Forest continues to evolve business at the speed of thought into the 21st century with high-tech and aerospace industries thoughout the Pacific Northwest. From the Oregon Coast to the Cascade Mountains, the towns of Canby, Sherwood, Newberg, McMinnville and many more of the Willamette Valley anchor the North Valley and lead Oregon Wine Country as an international destination. Continuing West, VAPORHCS stretches over to several Pacific coastal towns. To the east, PVAMC serves several towns along the orginal Oregon Trail. Thundering waterfalls, ancient forests, rushing whitewater, and cool, placid lakes are found throughout the Columbia River Highway (King of Roads) and West Cascades scenic byway.

A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay responds to a report of multiple surfers in distress who were being pushed up against rocks near Agate Beach, Oregon.

NW MIRECC disseminates mission-relevant knowledge through publications and continuing health care education programs across VISN 20 and nationally. Sign up for email updates or access your subscriber preferences: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVHAVISN20/subscriber/new.

Use of these Materials and Finding VA Health Care

Please note that the health care information provided in these materials is for educational purposes only. It does not replace the role of a medical practitioner for advice on care and treatment. If you are looking for professional medical care, find your local VA healthcare center by using the VA Facilities Locator & Directory. This page may contain links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
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Reference from this web page or from any of the information services sponsored by the VA to any non-governmental entity, product, service or information does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the VA or any of its employees. We are not responsible for the content of any "off-site" web pages referenced from this server.
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VA Regional Offices

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) helps service members transition out of military service, and assists with Veterans with education, home loans, life insurance and much more. Service members, Veterans, their families, and Survivors are invited to request information on VA Benefits including disability compensation, pension, fiduciary, education, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), Home Loans, and Insurance. In addition to information on VA Benefits Veterans may initiate an intent to file and request assistance with filing compensation and pension claims. Visit regional office websites to learn about the services the regional office provides, directions to the facility, hours of operation, and the leadership team that serves the regional office.

Find out if you can get VA health care as a Veteran

The following four categories of Veterans are not required to enroll but are urged to do so to permit better planning of health resources:

1. Veterans with a service-connected (SC) disability rated at 50% or more.
2. Veterans seeking care for a disability the military determined was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, but which VA has not yet rated, within 12 months of discharge.
3. Veterans seeking care for a SC disability only or under a special treatment authority.
4. Veterans seeking health registry examinations. VA’s health registry evaluation is a free, voluntary medical assessment for Veterans who may have been exposed to certain environmental hazards during military service. The evaluations alert Veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to exposure to specific environmental hazards during their military service. VA has established several health registries to track and monitor the health of specific groups of Veterans. You may be eligible to participate in one or more of these health registries: Agent Orange Registry, Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, Gulf War Registry (includes Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn), Ionizing Radiation Registry, Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program, and Toxic Embedded Fragment Surveillance Center. Use the chart below to help determine your eligibility.

Find out how to apply for VA health care benefits as a Veteran or service member. For other mental health services, contact a VA medical center for information on eligibility and treatment options.

Community Care (Mission Act)

The MISSION Act became law in 2018, bringing the VA’s previous Veterans Choice Program to an end and establishing the Community Care Program. VA provides health care for Veterans from providers in your local community outside of VA. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. This care is provided on behalf of and paid for by VA. Community care is also available to Veterans based on certain conditions and eligibility requirements, and in consideration of a Veteran’s specific needs and circumstances. VA offers urgent care services to eligible Veterans at in-network urgent care clinics to treat minor injuries and illnesses that are not life-threatening, such as colds, strep throat, sprained muscles, and skin and ear infections. Community care must be first authorized by VA before a Veteran can receive care from a community provider.

Vet Centers in VISN 20

Vet Centers in VISN 20 are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. 1-877-927-8387 is an around the clock confidential call center where combat Veterans and their families can call to talk about their military experience or any other issue they are facing in their readjustment to civilian life. The staff is comprised of combat Veterans from several eras as well as families members of combat Veterans. This benefit is prepaid through the Veteran’s military service.

Alaska

Idaho

Oregon

Washington

Plan your trip to VA

In 1946, Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) was established by law to provide comfort and well-being to America’s Veterans. With our many retail stores, cafés and coffee shops across the country, we serve those who have served our country. VCS is proud to offer Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare, their families and VA employees exclusive shopping benefits online through Patriot Store Direct. Product categories range from Military Caps and apparel, Outdoors, Electronics, Automotive tires (Goodyear, Bridgestone, Firestone, and Fuzion), Tickets and Travel, Vision (Glasses and Contact Lenses), Home and Kitchen, Floral, Toys, Gifts, Watches, and more. We are honored to give back to the VA community through many programs established for the health and well-being of our nation’s heroes. Revenues generated from VCS are used to support a variety of programs, such as VA’s Rehabilitation Games, Fisher Houses, Poly-Trauma Centers for OEF/OIF/OND Veterans, disaster relief efforts, Substance Abuse Cessation, VA’s Homelessness initiatives, Women Veterans, Veteran Suicide Prevention and other activities.

Hospital Service Directory

To find out whether there is a van near you, use the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Hospital Service Coordinator Directory to contact your nearest HSC. The vans are driven by volunteers, and the rides coordinated by more than 133 Hospital Service Coordinators around the country. Our nation’s heroes travel around the globe to protect our freedoms—it’s only right that we return their dedication. Volunteering to drive a Vet ensures that even those living remotely from VA hospitals can make their appointments and never go without the treatment they need. Please remember that the DAV Transportation Network is staffed by volunteers; therefore, it is unable to cover every community. Learn more about the DAV transportation network through the VISN 20 NewsFlash Resources section.

Today's VHA - the largest of the three administrations that comprise the VA - continues to meet Veterans' changing medical, surgical, and quality-of-life needs. There are 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) in VHA operating as regional systems of care to better meet local health care needs and provides greater access to care. In the Pacific Northwest, VISN 20 serves Veterans in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, most of Idaho, and one county each in California and Montana. Spanning 23% of the US land mass, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles, VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. According to DoD, American Indians and Alaska Natives have one of the highest representations in the United States Armed Forces. VA consults with American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments to develop partnerships that enhance access to services and benefits by Veterans and their families. VA is committed to ensuring that Native American Veterans and their families are able to utilize all benefits and services they are entitled to receive. As of the end of FY2024, 39% of VISN 20 enrollees resided in rural or highly rural areas.

• VISN 1: VA New England Healthcare System
• VISN 2: New York/New Jersey VA Health Care Network
• VISN 4: VA Healthcare - VISN 4
• VISN 5: VA Capitol Health Care Network
• VISN 6: VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network
• VISN 7: VA Southeast Network
• VISN 8: VA Sunshine Healthcare Network
• VISN 9: VA MidSouth Healthcare Network
• VISN 10: VA Healthcare System
• VISN 12: VA Great Lakes Health Care System
• VISN 15: VA Heartland Network
• VISN 16: South Central VA Health Care Network
• VISN 17: VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network
• VISN 19: Rocky Mountain Network
• VISN 20: Northwest Network
• VISN 21: Sierra Pacific Network
• VISN 22: Desert Pacific Healthcare Network
• VISN 23: VA Midwest Health Care Network