Mental Health

Mental Health Hiring at VA

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING SURE VETERANS RECOVER AND THRIVE AFTER MILITARY SERVICE.

That's why VA recently hired 1,045 new mental health professionals, who are caring for Veterans across the country. Despite that achievement, VA is always looking for more qualified psychiatrists, psychologists, peer specialists and social workers. Whether you're a mental health trainee or a seasoned professional, consider choosing VA for your career.

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Mental Health at VA

Paving the Road to Recovery

At VA, we understand the unique challenges Veterans face when returning home and transitioning back to civilian life. Our Mental Health professionals expertly tailor treatment plans that meet patients where they are, ease their symptoms and help them achieve wholeness.

Mental Health at VA focuses on recovery, coordinating care that empowers Veterans and their families to take charge of their wellbeing and pursue fuller lives. From counseling and emergency services to telemedicine and social work, we do what it takes to help Veterans reclaim their mental and emotional freedom.

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“We’re not looking at an
illness but developing
goals for recovery.”

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Spotlight on Mental Health Careers

VA’s variety of care environments, research prospects and educational support gives you limitless room to grow and excel in your career. Take a look at all VA can offer you and pursue a Mental Health opportunity that will push your talent to exciting new heights:

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Top 10

Reasons to Work at VA

Sure, there are lots of places you could build a health care career. But VA can offer you greater challenge, opportunity, teamwork and satisfaction unlike any other. Here are just a few of the many ways a career at VA stands out from the crowd:

The mission to serve America
Nation’s largest health care system
Access to cutting-edge technology
Education support
Work/Life balance
Exceptional benefits
Team-based. Patient-focused.
Live and work anywhere
Leadership Training
The best patients—Veterans!

The mission to serve America

We are united as an organization to deliver on President Lincoln’s promise to honor and care for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our country.
VA’s culture is defined through a set of core values, which remind us and others that “I CARE”: integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence. Every day, we’re dedicated to showing how much we care for our Veterans.

Nation’s Largest Health Care System

Each year, VA serves over 9 million Veterans in 1,200+ health care facilities spread throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
VA is a leader in clinical innovation and surgical quality, performing about 400,000 procedures annually.
Over 7,000 training programs in affiliation with over 1,800 educational institutions means endless opportunities to grow your skills and advance your career at VA.

Access to cutting-edge technology

VA is the leader in telehealth, with over 700,000 Veterans accessing care through telehealth across 50 different specialties in 2016.
In 2017, VA introduced plans to dramatically expand telehealth—also known as “anywhere to anywhere”—health care services.
VA offers state-of-the-art tools, including speech-recognition capabilities, virtual technologies, mobile devices and renowned knowledge-based resources.

Education support

VA offers a broad range of scholarships, tuition reimbursement and loan repayment programs, and other educational opportunities to help you in your lifelong quest for learning.
VA employees with federal student loans may be eligible for the national loan forgiveness program.
VA conducts the largest medical education program in the country, in partnership with over 1,800 academic institutions.

Work/Life balance

VA employees enjoy predictable, flexible schedules with guaranteed shifts that accommodate their specific needs and lifestyles.
Some VA facilities provide on-site child care, operated by licensed providers.
Many VA facilities have fitness centers on site.
Employees receive generous vacation and personal leave, including 26 paid days off, 13 sick days and 10 paid federal holidays.

Exceptional benefits

VA employees can choose from a variety of high-quality health care and life insurance options, as well as flexible spending accounts.
Health care professionals at VA are protected by the Federal Government in cases of alleged malpractice, eliminating the need for personal liability insurance.
VA offers up to 15 days a year of military leave support for reservists and National Guard.
VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

Team-based. Patient-focused.

Each Veteran works with a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), a group of medical professionals with defined roles, coordinating care to promote the total health and wellness of a patient.
VA is a leader in patient satisfaction.
VA provides mental health integration in clinical practice and clinical pharmacists embedded in primary care.

Live and work anywhere

One active, unrestricted state license allows VA employees to practice in any VA facility nationwide.
Wherever life may lead, VA employees can seek employment at a VA facility with an open position and transfer with no loss of benefits.
With VA’s integrated system, employees are free to explore new areas of career development and pursue opportunities anywhere within VA.

Leadership Training

Employees have 24/7 access to multiple web-based catalogs, filled with diverse online courses and training options to help advance their careers.
VA offers ongoing internal training opportunities to employees at all employment levels, from mandatory developmental programs to competitive opportunities.
Through VA Learning University’s many initiatives (VALU), ambitious candidates can complete customized training to become unifying leaders and innovative agents of change at VA.

The best patients—Veterans!

VA employees have the chance to give back to America’s heroes and help improve life for them and their families every day.
Every day, you have the privilege of spending time with Veterans and hearing their harrowing stories of struggle and triumph. It’s a chance to develop genuine bonds and understanding that helps you better serve their unique needs.
VA patients have experienced wide-ranging military conflicts, resulting in a broad array of ailments and wounds—that means employees regularly meet new challenges that sharpen their skills and critical thinking abilities.

Bringing Care Closer to Home

PTSD and Telemental Health

Many Veterans in need of specialized Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) services live in geographically remote regions. In these areas, mental health care is generally only available on a limited basis. The integration of Telemental health technology is steadily making clinical and educational PTSD services more accessible in remote areas.

Guidance Through Every Milestone

What you could accomplish with VA extends far beyond a career. It’s a calling—a passion for serving Veterans. That’s why we’re proud to invest in your future and offer avenues to further develop your unique talent, so you can realize your greatest impact possible.

Early Career Milestones

Early

Setting A Course For Your Future

How can I grow my career at VA?

We offer several specialized mental health fellowships to help you advance your career, including mental illness and psychiatric research and treatment. Our intensive curriculum gives clinicians the opportunity to work hands-on with patients who have conditions rarely found in private practice.

Mid Career Milestones

Mid

Growth That Defines Your Career

How can I gain recognition in my field?

With over 1,800 academic affiliations, our clinicians contribute to groundbreaking research that would be impossible to perform anywhere else.

Advanced Career Milestones

Advanced

Building a Legacy of Excellence

Can I help train a new generation of physicians?

VA has always had a strong culture of mentorship and support. All of our senior staff members have the chance to give back to the next generation of clinicians.