Rocky Mountain MIRECC VA Advanced Fellowship Program 2023 in Mental Illness Research and Treatment in Suicide Prevention (Colorado)

Deadline: December 1, 2022

Rocky Mountain MIRECC VA Advanced Fellowship Program 2023 in Mental Illness Research and Treatment in Suicide Prevention (Colorado)

The mission of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC (Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center) Advanced Fellowship Program is to train psychologists to become outstanding clinicians and clinical researchers in the high priority area of mental health care for Veterans, with an emphasis on prevention of risky behaviors among Veterans/military service members.

The Rocky Mountain MIRECC Advanced Fellowship Program is a full-time, two-year program (equating to 2,080 hours per year). In terms of clinical care, fellows engage in mental health service delivery, and assessment and interdisciplinary consultation with high priority populations frequently served at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center. Fellows also interact with a wide range of Veterans through clinically informed research projects, including a Fellow-led project developed in conjunction with their Research Mentor. At the culmination of the Fellowship, each Fellow will have attained advance practice competencies in the following areas: suicide risk assessment, clinical service delivery, professional interdisciplinary consultation, practice of evidence-based interventions and research.

Individuals who complete the Fellowship will be prepared to:

1. Think critically about and practice advanced evaluation and assessment skills and make sound clinical decisions based upon scholarly literature and best practices for evidence-based therapies and interventions.
2. Design and implement research studies aimed at improving clinical care.
3. Become leaders in the practice of Psychology, with an emphasis on Suicidology.

The Rocky Mountain MIRECC Advanced Psychology Fellowship Training Manual is available here [PDF opens in new tab/window].

Accreditation Status

The VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (ECHCS), Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center Postdoctoral Residency Program is accredited in Health Services Psychology by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA-CoA). The Fellowship has been an APA-accredited program since 2013. The application for re-accreditation was submitted in 2020. Secondary to COVID-19 all site visits are currently on-hold. All sites with full accreditation prior to COVID-19 are able to maintain this status until site visits resume.

The VA ECHCS Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Residency Program is currently not a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).

Training Faculty

The Rocky Mountain MIRECC is home to nationally recognized clinical researchers and clinicians who supervise/mentor Fellows in research as well as the application of specialized knowledge to Veteran treatment and intervention. Each training faculty member is highly competent and credentialed, representing a strong array of clinical and research skills as well as expertise in our specialty areas. The training faculty currently accepting Fellows are Dr. Sean Barnes, Ph.D., and Dr. Bryann DeBeer, Ph.D., M.P.H, R.D.N. General inquiries regarding the Fellowship and application materials for the Colorado Fellowship position(s) may be e-mailed to Dr. Lisa Brenner at [email protected].

Eligibility

• Failure to meet these qualifications could nullify an offer to an applicant.
• Completion of doctoral degree, including defense of dissertation, from an APA-accredited Clinical or Counseling Psychology program before the start date of the Fellowship (August-September).
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires that the applicant’s doctoral degree and internship be completed at programs accredited by the American Psychological Association.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Fingerprinting and background checks.
• Male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the draft by age 26.
• VA conducts drug screening exams on randomly selected personnel as well as new employees.
• All Psychology Postdoctoral Residents, like all VA personnel and trainees in VA facilities, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive their annual Influenza shot or have an exemption filed (medical or religious) with the Designated Educational Officer.
• The VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Residency Program actively supports and is in full compliance with the spirit and principle of Affirmative Action in the recruitment and selection of psychology residents. As an equal opportunity training program, the residency welcomes and strongly encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, disability, or other minority status.

Selection Procedures

We use a “goodness of fit” model in selecting Fellows and look for applicants whose training backgrounds and interests are consistent with the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention mission and the identified faculty mentor’s area of research. Once candidates have forwarded the application packet, their materials are reviewed by the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention Psychology Fellowship Training Committee members. Applicants are pre-screened based on various criteria which includes:

• Breadth and depth of prior general clinical or counseling training.
• Quality of experience in areas relevant to the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention mission.
• Goodness of fit between the applicant’s professional goals and program training objectives.
• Goodness of fit between the applicant’s previous experience and identified mentor’s research program.
• Quality and scope of research productivity as indicated by research projects, conference/poster presentations, publications or other scholarly work.
• Ability to integrate/synthesize psychological data and make logical/meaningful recommendations as demonstrated in assessment report.
• Strength of letters of recommendation.
• A clear, thoughtful writing style in all application materials.

Qualified applicants who appear to be a “good fit” with our training program will be invited for an interview with our selection committee consisting of training leadership and training committee members. Interviews will take place generally in mid-January through mid-February. We will notify applicants when they are no longer under consideration.

Applicant Checklist

Please submit one complete application consisting of the materials below in an e-mail to [email protected] and [email protected] by December 1, 2022:

1. The Rocky Mountain MIRECC Advanced Fellowship Program is committed to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion in our training program and selection process. In your application materials (e.g., letter of interest) you are invited and encouraged to make note of and/or discuss your self-identified cultural identities, including but not limited to those identities that are historically underrepresented in the field of psychology and/or research.
2. A signed letter of interest that includes: career goals and how these align with the mission of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC; what clinical skills applicant would like to further hone during Fellowship, and; a description of how applicant’s pre-doctoral educational, clinical and research experiences align well with the research program/area of emphasis of the applicant’s chosen faculty mentor.
3. A current Curriculum Vitae (CV).
4. A signed letter of completion or expected completion from academic and internship/residency programs.
5. Three signed letters of recommendation.
6. A work sample that highlights specific relevance to the identified emphasis area of the Mentor.
7. A sample de-identified psychological assessment report preferably with a suicide risk assessment and management component.
8. A summary regarding number and types of psychological/neuropsychological/cognitive tests administered and reports written.

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