Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

The mission of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency (MH NPR) 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.

The overarching goal of the Residency is to provide newly graduated, licensed, and board-certified NPs a foundation for practice that is embedded in scientific knowledge, clinical expertise, and professionalism. The Residency Program hopes to recruit, educate, and retain NPs that will improve the quality and accessibility of health care services for Veterans.

1. NP residents will demonstrate increased competence in providing safe and effective advanced nursing care.

2. NP residents will utilize scientific evidence to support advanced practice nursing.

3. NP residents will demonstrate achievement of essential advanced nursing practice competencies.

4. The program will enhance recruitment of new graduate NPs in the VHA workforce

5. The program will enhance retention of newly hired graduate NPs in the VHA workforce.

Provide a year-long training program that prepares new graduate Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) for independent practice

• Foster and support the role transition from novice to independent for the PMHNP
• Promote residents competence and the role of a licensed independent practitioner
• Develop and refine professional and interprofessional PMHNP clinical practice within VA
• Incorporate evidenced-based practice, ethical principles, and clinical excellence in healthcare delivery to Veterans
• Increase confidence and role satisfaction of the new PMHNP committed to serving Veterans
• Support organizational and leadership goals for recruitment and retention of high-quality PMHNPs
• Develop collaborative skills to interprofessional relationships and the team-based care approach

The VA is committed to improving the mental health of the nation’s Veterans and is investing in innovative programs to improve training for mental health providers. The overarching goal of the Residency is to support optimal care for our Veterans by offering educational processes and activities that are robust, evidence-based, and most likely to result in successful implementation throughout the year.

The structure is 80% experiential with 1st phase in orientation and builds upon a continuity clinic, 2nd in varied specialty clinics, and 3rd in the clinic you would like to transition into upon graduation. 20% is didactic with a focus on all things mental health.

Throughout the year, residents participate in various seminars and lecture series, engage in assorted professional development activities, and rotate through different clinical areas which support continuous learning outcomes and reinforce the skills learned in the program. Schedules of learning activities and clinical placements are provided at the beginning of the year, with flexibility allowed for individualization based on resident preference, learning needs, or ad hoc requests. Residents must obtain 2080 hours for successful completion of the program, which includes: Federal holidays, annual leave (i.e., PTO), and sick leave. In addition to activities described below which occur at regular intervals described in their individual activity documents, NPR schedules include time for clinical administrative activities, ad hoc learning and development activities, evaluation meetings, self-study, flexibility to attend lectures/seminars announced after the formal schedule has been created, and experiential/observational clinical learning.

The majority of scheduled lecture series/seminars, professional development activities, and clinical activities are described in separate activity descriptions and/or syllabi which provide the activity purpose, objectives, outcomes, and resources. Applicable OAA competencies and CCNE standards are also listed in the specific activity documents. Residents are provided a comprehensive orientation at the beginning of the year which includes description of learning activities, schedules, goals, outcomes, and evaluation methods.

• Must be onsite for entire tour of duty,
• Must be able to deliver care via face-to-face, video, and phone from the VA medical centers
• Must have ability to travel to the McClellan Outpatient Clinic,
• Must be able to adapt writing style to multiple faculty.

Stipend as of Fiscal Year 2025

• Denver: $88,703

A comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Vacation days, accrued at 4 hours per pay period,
• Sick time, accrued at 4 hours per pay period
• 11 paid holidays
• Voluntary inclusion into group medical, dental, and vision
• Voluntary participation in Federal Employee Group Life Insurance
• Fee exempt DEA Number (approved for activities within VHA)

VAECHCS is actively applying for accreditation with Commission on Collegiate Nurse Education (CCNE) with a proposed site visit Spring 2026. CCNE is recognized by the US Department of Education as an accrediting body of Nurse Practitioner residency programs.

As CCNE seeks input from the public and our stakeholders, we encourage you to submit any comments regarding the residency programs pertaining to the national accreditation standards. Written third-party comments will be accepted by CCNE until 21 days prior to the evaluation.

Please submit comments to the following:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Attn: Third Party Comments 655 K Street NW Suite 750 Washington DC 20001
-or
 thirdpartycomments@ccneaccreditation.org

• Applications accepted January through March 31, 2025
• Interviews conducted April 14th through 30th
• Decisions sent no later than May 12th
• Residency begins September

• Must be eligible Am I Eligible? Checklist for VA HPTs
• 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.

To apply, complete the following form: (FY 26 ECHCS Application Form)

Please title your application email utilizing the following nomenclature: Last name, First Name_FY 26 Applicant to vaechcsmhnprapplicants@va.gov.