Learning Opportunities at VA NW Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center

Learning Opportunities at VA NW MIRECC

MIRECC Presents Webinars

MIRECC Presents is an accredited Continuing Education webinar series on mental health topics provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN 20) Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (NW MIRECC) in collaboration with the VA Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD). NW MIRECC seeks to improve the mental health and well-being of Veterans through research and dissemination of information to providers both within the VA and the general public. The knowledge produced by NW MIRECC research efforts is disseminated through VA's ILEAD web-based learning platforms and face-to-face educational offerings, and directly implemented in clinics throughout the Northwest and throughout the country. The collaborative approach to mental health research, education and treatment has had a profound impact on the lives of Veterans. 

NW MIRECC applies modern genetic, neurologic and clinical trial methodology to the discovery and development of new and more effective treatments for major and often treatment resistant mental disorders afflicting Veterans and the active duty combat personnel who will become Veterans. These monthly virtual conferences are designed to translate current scientific and clinical research into thoughtful and accessible information that can be used by clinicians to enhance their care of Veterans. In this way, MIRECC Presents empowers mental health providers to integrate cutting-edge treatments and timely research into their daily clinical practices, thereby raising the quality of care for Veterans who experience mental health challenges.

The knowledge produced by NW MIRECC research efforts is disseminated through VA's ILEAD web-based learning platforms and face-to-face educational offerings, and directly implemented in clinics throughout the Northwest and throughout the country. 

• ENHANCE your knowledge and skills in assessment, differential diagnosis and treatment of Veterans' mental health
• IMPROVE the connection between contemporary research and clinical care of Veterans
• FACILITATE biopsychosocial multidisciplinary team management of Veterans' mental health conditions

MIRECC Presents webinars are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month from October to June at 12pm PT (3pm ET). The target audience includes, but is not limited to, Physicians, Nurses, Psychologists, Social Workers and other professionals supporting Veteran care and active-duty combat personnel who will become Veterans. Sign up for email updates or access your subscriber preferences: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVHAVISN20/subscriber/new.   

NW MIRECC Partnerships

As part of the NW MIRECC mission to enhance access to mental health expertise, the NW MIRECC collaborates and consults with other MIRECCs and Centers of Excellence, as well as with other VA, DoD, Federal, State departments of Veterans Affairs, community agencies, and experts. The NW MIRECC research center located at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) is affiliated with University of Washington. The NW MIRECC research center located at VA Portland Heath Care System (VAPORHCS) is affiliated with Oregon Health and Science University.

VISN 20 MIRECC Activities

➤ Disseminates best practice treatments, current research findings and the latest pertinent knowledge related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mild traumatic brain injury, and their complex comorbidities through both web-based and face-to-face educational offerings.

➤ Collects and implements feedback from participant evaluations to ensure quality programing.

➤ Serves as a national resource for expertise in mental health education.

Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRECC Fellowship) 

The NW MIRECC Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRT) is a two-year postdoctoral training program. The primary goal of the NW MIRECC Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship program is to train and equip physicians, psychologists, and other allied health professionals with the knowledge and expertise to lead clinical research efforts that make lasting contributions in the lives of Veterans experiencing mental health challenges. NW MIRECC Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship training opportunities:

1. Participation in weekly research-oriented videoconferences with fellows from the national VA Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment.
2. Collaboration with clinical researchers who share a common interest in polytrauma, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury.
3. Presentation of research to various disciplines of health practitioners in academic and community settings and the MIRECC Presents videoconference series.
4. Participation in the design and implementation of CME conferences and distance learning programs for VA and non-VA professional staff, and programs for Veterans and their families, throughout the Pacific Northwest.
5. Optional participation in Oregon Health & Science University’s Human Investigations Program (HIP), which offers an integrated clinical and translational research education curriculum and results in a Certificate in Human Investigations.
6. Training opportunities with the VA Portland’s PTSD Clinical Team (PCT), a multidisciplinary outpatient team that provides evidence-based treatments to Veterans experiencing PTSD related to their military service. Postdoctoral fellows have the opportunity to provide individual and group psychotherapy, supervise doctoral-level trainees, and actively participate in weekly team meetings and PTSD consultation as junior colleagues.

In collaboration with their mentors, the Advanced Psychology Postdoctoral Fellows will develop and implement research projects, publish and present findings, write grants, and utilize the latest technology for educational activities and clinical service delivery. Psychology Postdoctoral Fellows devote 75% of their time to research and education activities and 25% to clinical training. Over the course of the two-year program, fellows are trained in clinical and health systems research, advanced clinical care service delivery, and program administration in an interdisciplinary setting. The NW MIRECC Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship site is linked electronically to VA MIRECC sites for didactic, academic, and research efforts.

VISN 20 encompasses 23% of the US land mass with medical centers in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes, 229 of which are located in Alaska. Serving 135 counties, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA spanning three time zones, across 817,417 square miles, including Del Norte County California and Lincoln County Montana. In the fall of 1997, VISN 20 leaders from VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) and the Portland VA Health Care System (VAPORHCS) were commissioned by Congress and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish one of the first three Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (MIRECCs) in the United States. VAPSHCS serves Veterans from a five-state area in the Pacific Northwest with two main divisions: American Lake VA Medical Center and Seattle VA Medical Center. VA Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers in Washington are located in Bellingham, Bellevue, Bremerton, Chehalis, Edmunds, Everett, Federal Way, Lacey, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Port Angeles, Puyallup, Richland, Renton, Silverdale, Seattle, Spokane, Union Gap, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima. Veterans in Washington are also served by VA Medical Centers in Spokane, Vancouver, and Walla Walla. VAPORHCS serves Veterans in Oregon and Southwest Washington with two main divisions: Portland VA Medical Center and Vancouver VA Medical Center. VA Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers in Oregon are located in Bend, Boardman, Brookings, Enterprise, Eugene, Fairview, Grants Pass, Hines, Hillsboro, Klamath Falls, LaGrande, Lincoln City, Newport, Portland, Salem, The Dalles, Warrenton, and West Linn. Veterans in Oregon are also served by VA Medical Centers in Roseburg, White City, and Vancouver, Washington.

Browse facilities by state

VA provides health care for Veterans from providers in the local community outside of VA. Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a community provider when VA cannot provide the care needed. VA launched its new and improved Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) on June 6, 2019, implementing portions of the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (MISSION Act), which both ended the Veterans Choice Program and established VCCP. Types of care under the new VCCP include General Community Care, Urgent Care, Emergency Care, Foreign Medical Care, Home Health and Hospice Care, Indian and Tribal Health Services, In Vitro Fertilization, State Veterans Home, and Flu Shots. Veterans work with their VA health care provider or other VA staff to see if they are eligible to receive community care based on new criteria. The VA Community Care Network (CCN) is VA’s direct link with community providers to ensure Veterans receive timely, high-quality care.

Vet Centers in the VISN 20 Health Care Network 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 Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. 1-877-WAR-VETS is an around the clock confidential call center where Veterans, service members and their families can talk about their military experience or any other issue they are facing in transitioning after military service or trauma and get connected to their nearest Vet Center.

Vet Centers in VISN 20

Vet Centers provide counseling to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. Individual, group, marriage and family counseling is offered in addition to referral and connection to other VA or community benefits and services. If you can’t make it to a nearby Vet Center, VA offers satellite Vet Center locations and Mobile Vet Centers that may be closer to you.

Explore VA.gov

VA has a variety of mental health resources, information, treatment options, and more — all accessible to Veterans, Veterans’ supporters, and the general public. Explore the pages below to learn more about a specific mental health topic. Each of these pages includes resources, information on treatment options, and more.

Stories of Support