Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program (MHNPR) is to prepare novice Nurse Practitioners to deliver evidence-based, high- quality, patient-centric care to Veterans, while improving job satisfaction, employee retention, and a life-long commitment to professional nursing.

Program Objectives:

• Transition newly graduated Mental Health Nurse Practitioners to Advanced Beginner Mental Health Providers through support of individual learning needs.
• Provide wide variety of learning opportunities both in the inpatient and outpatient mental health care settings.
• Integrate evidence-based knowledge and clinical excellence in advanced practice nursing while providing compassionate care to the Veteran population.
• Develop collaborative skills through working with a multi-disciplinary team, utilizing the team-based care approach.
• Develop innovative, efficient, cost-effective ways to improve access to mental health care by Veterans.
• Provide newly graduated Nurse Practitioners a deeper understanding of the unique and complex health care needs of the Veteran population while serving as mental health providers at the VA.

About Our Program:

• Our MHNPR program is a 12 month residency that combines clinical practicum experiences, specialty rotations, and didactic education to provide a well-rounded experience for newly graduated Nurse Practitioners.
• Our program provides the opportunity to work alongside experienced nurse practitioners, physicians, social workers, clinical pharmacists, among other professionals who would broaden new nurse practitioners’ understanding of what it means to be an Independent Licensed Practitioner.
• Clinical rotations may include the following: General Mental Health through Behavioral Health Integrated Program and/or Primary Care Mental Health Integration, Inpatient Mental Health, Domiciliary Residential Care, Psychiatric Emergency Services, Crisis Same Day Access, Substance Use Disorder Clinic, PTSD, Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery Services, and more!

Required Application Criteria:

• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Must be a recent graduate (within 12 months) of a Master’s, Post-Master’s certificate, or Doctoral level Nurse Practitioner program accredited by CCNE or the ACEN.
• Must be serving in their first role as Mental Health Nurse Practitioners.
• Prior to start of program, must possess certification (ANCC or AANP) and licensure as a nurse practitioner in a state, commonwealth, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

FY 25 Application Period Has Closed.
Please check back in late December 2024 for FY 26.

For any questions or additional information, please contact:
Dr. Wendi L. Koonce Morse
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
Wendi.KoonceMorse@va.gov