Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a MIRECC?
   
2. What does a MIRECC do?
   
3. How do I benefit from the MIRECC?
   
4. I am an American veteran with a mental illness. How can I get treatment?
   
5. As an American veteran with a mental illness, does the MIRECC have anything that will help me? Can I get my care at a MIRECC?
   
6. As an American veteran with a mental illness, how do I file a claim for disability due to my mental illness?
   
7. Do you have brochures/videos/handouts available?
   
8. I am a Mental Health professional, how can I find out if the MIRECC has done work on a problem I am facing or doing research in my area of interest?
   

 

1. What is a MIRECC?

   A MIRECC is a Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center. Congress established MIRECCs in October 1996 through public law 104-262. There are currently eight MIRECCs. Each MIRECC focuses on mental illnesses or conditions that are common in veterans. MIRECCs investigate the causes of mental illness, develop new treatments for mental illness, and evaluate both established and new treatments with the goal of identifying best practices. The MIRECCs also develop educational and training initiatives to implement best practices into the clinical settings of the VA. Each MIRECC works with all the facilities in its network (region) on research, education and clinical initiatives, evaluating services offered to the veteran and helping the networks implement improved treatments, services, or practices.

2. What does a MIRECC do?

   Each MIRECC was designed around the idea of "translational" research. Translational research has a number of definitions: it can mean taking basic research findings and developing diagnostic tests or novel treatments from them (e.g., the development of corticotrophin releasing factor inhibitors for the treatment of depression); it can also mean taking mental health treatments known to be effective in the research setting into the clinical setting to test their effectiveness in that environment. This latter process entails taking well-validated research findings and converting them to specific clinical recommendations, disseminating these recommendations to relevant practitioners, implementing them in a rigorous and reproducible fashion, evaluating outcomes, and monitoring continued clinical practice. The MIRECCs span both of these definitions of translational research.

   Yet, each MIRECC differs not only in the mental illnesses and other co-occurring illnesses (comorbidities) that they investigate, such as substance abuse and diabetes, but also in their investigative infrastructures. The relative emphasis on neuroscience, neuroimaging, neuropsychiatry, clinical trials, evaluation, types of educational efforts, technology, and clinical demonstration projects also differs from MIRECC to MIRECC.

3. How do I benefit from the MIRECC?

   The unique structure of the MIRECCs affords many benefits to its constituents. If you are a veteran, you benefit from new knowledge and implementation of effective mental health treatments sponsored by MIRECCs. MIRECCs are relatively small which allows them to be fairly nimble in their ability to adjust to the needs of the VA, regional networks and veterans. Providers and facilities benefit from discovery and implementation of effective mental health treatments.

   The MIRECCs are involved in discovering the causes of major mental illnesses and investigating novel treatment strategies, along with reassessment of current treatments. The mission of the MIRECCs is to take treatments that work in research settings and establish these treatments as routine clinical services for veterans.

4. I am an American veteran with a mental illness. How can I get treatment?

   You can contact your local VA Medical Center or Readjustment Counseling Service ("Vets Center") or call the VA Health Benefits Service Center toll free at 1-877-222-VETS. To locate the VA Medical Center nearest you, go to http://www.va.gov and use the "Facilities Locator" button at the bottom of the page.

5. As an American veteran with a mental illness, does the MIRECC have anything that will help me? Can I get my care at a MIRECC?

   The MIRECCs are not freestanding clinics. MIRECC clinical, educational and research projects are integrated into clinical services in the eight regional networks that have a MIRECC. Many MIRECC investigators have clinical duties at their VA facility. Several investigators also support novel clinical services at facilities within their networks in concert with research or clinical demonstration projects.

   Some of the MIRECC educational projects have produced informational materials of direct use to veterans. Some of these products can be accessed through the Products page of this site or through one of the specific MIRECC web sites. The homepage of this site also provides links to veteran, consumer, and informational web sites that may be of help to you.

6. As an American veteran with a mental illness, how do I file a claim for disability due to my mental illness?

   A claim for service-connected disability is made with the Veteran Benefits Administration, in particular the Compensation and Pension Service. The mental health professionals who provide care at the VA Medical Centers, clinics, or Vet Centers do not make this determination. For application forms and instructions from the Veteran Benefits Administration, go to http://www.va.gov

7. Do you have brochures/videos/handouts available?

   Several educational products are posted on this site on the Products page. These materials are in the public domain and available for your use. Many MIRECCs have additional materials that can be downloaded from their web sites or are available by request.

8. I am a Mental Health professional, how can I find out if the MIRECC has done work on a problem I am facing or doing research in my area of interest?

   First, you can browse through the products available on this site on the Products page. Second, review the theme of each MIRECC on the homepage of this site. Click on a MIRECC location to go to their web site and get more complete information about their body of work. Contact investigators or designated contact persons in those MIRECCs to receive more information.