MIRECC / CoE

VISN 20 Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (NW MIRECC)

  VISN 20 MIRECC Research

  Learning Opportunities at NW MIRECC

From its early days, VISN 20 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (NW MIRECC) has conducted research to understand Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and other mental health challenges facing Veterans. Research studies at NW MIRECC are currently enrolling Military Veterans, First Responders, Health Care workers, and Civilians in Seattle, Washington. 

   

MIRECC Presents
The knowledge produced by NW MIRECC research efforts is disseminated through VA's Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD) web-based learning platforms. Learn more.

MIRECC Presents Schedule
MIRECC Presents webinars are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month from October to June. Check out the schedule

MIRECC Presents Archive
Did you miss a session of MIRECC Presents? Beginning fall of 2019, MIRECC Presents sessions are recorded. To catch up on what you missed, visit the MIRECC Presents Archive

  PTSD, TBI and other Mental Illness Research

  Explore VISN 20 NW MIRECC  

Current Research and Call for Volunteers
Research studies at VISN 20 MIRECC are currently enrolling Military Veterans, First Responders, Health Care workers, and Civilians... Current Research

What to know before participating in a research study
The VA ranks as one of the nation's leaders in health research. These research studies have contributed to the development of ... Read More

Staff Publications and Presentations
Since the inception of VISN 20 MIRECC has conducted scientific research to find solutions for mental health issues affecting Veterans as well as active dissemination of... Read more

   

PTSD and TBI at NW MIRECC
As part of the Veterans Integrated Service Network 20 (VISN 20), the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center ... Read More

Learning Opportunities
The VISN 20 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center promotes effective treatments for military PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury... Get Prepared

Explore NW MIRECC
With research center located in Seattle, WA and education center located in Portland, OR, NW MIRECC seeks to improve the mental health and well-being of Veterans. Learn about NW MIRECC

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