Director, VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS), Mental Health Service Line

The VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS) and the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine are seeking outstanding candidates for the position of Director of the VACHS Mental Health Service Line. As the VACHS is a Dean’s Committee VA Medical Center, this individual will lead a large dynamic and complex service with strong commitments to clinical, educational and research missions. The VACHS Mental Health Service Line is a major component of the Yale Department of Psychiatry and its leader is a key member of the Yale Psychiatry Senior Executive Leadership.

The Mental Health Service Line is a full service psychiatric and psychological clinical division with 28 inpatient beds, 32 step-down beds, a psychiatric emergency room and a wide range of outpatient and rehabilitative services. The annual clinical budget of the VACHS Mental Health Service is over $30-million per year, supporting over 270 FTEs, including 50 psychiatrists, 48 psychologists and 48 researchers. In addition, VACHS supports 38 psychiatric residents and fellows on site, including ACGME approved specialty fellowships jointly sponsored by the VA and Yale affiliated entities in addiction, geriatric and psychosomatic medicine. Additional VA Special Advanced Fellowship Programs (PGY-4, PGY-5, and PGY-6) at VACHS include Alcoholism, Addictions, Schizophrenia, PTSD, Mental Illness Research, Psychiatric Neuroscience Research, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Informatics and Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars. There are also two accredited psychology internship and postdoctoral training programs based at VACHS.

The VACHS Mental Health Service Line is one of the major research sites of the Yale University, Department of Psychiatry. It is home to the VISN I Mental Illness Research, Evaluation and Clinical Center (MIRECC), the Clinical Neuroscience Division and Health Services Division of the VA National Center for PTSD, VA Alcohol Research Center, and two VA Research Enhancement Award Programs (REAP) for Depression and PRIME (Pain, Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education). With a research budget of approximately $24 million VA supported direct costs per year, and over 25 funded investigators, the VACHS Mental Health Service Line ranks among the VA’s leading academic service lines.

Successful candidates must have demonstrated dynamic leadership with outstanding academic and clinical experience, management skills, and the ability to advance and develop superior programs in education, clinical service, and basic and clinical research. Candidates must have experience at the senior level rank in an academic medical environment with qualifications that fulfill the Yale University School of Medicine criteria for Associate Professor or Professor (full appointment, not voluntary faculty). A track record of independent grant support, scientific publications, or other comparable evidence of academic achievement is considered favorably. Also, VA or military experience is desirable. The candidate must demonstrate the energy and vision to integrate and lead one of the largest and most dynamic veterans mental health programs in the United States.

Interested individuals should send, fax or e-mail a letter of intent, a CV, and three references to Emily Wayne-Lane of Human Resources-05, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516; fax to 203 937-4718 or e-mail to Emily.Wayne-Lane@va.gov Closing date for applications is September 9, 2009 with an expected start date of July 1, 2010.

VA Connecticut and Yale University are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employers. Women and members of underrepresented minority groups are encouraged to apply. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

(CT98028)