http://www.va.gov/cmo/

The Veterans Health Administration operates the largest direct health care delivery system in the US. There are approximately 25 million Veterans alive at this time, and nearly three out of every four served in a war or an official period of hostility. Approximately 70 million people are potentially eligible for VA benefits. The VA meets the health care needs of America's Veterans by providing a broad range of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services. The VHA is increasingly responsive to emerging needs of veterans, including the unique experiences of women veterans and the sequalae of combat for individuals who served in combat. It is also taking increasing note of the unique health care needs of women veterans.

Not only does the VA focus on providing health care services that are uniquely related to veterans' health and special needs, but the VA also advances medical research and development in ways that support Veterans' needs by pursuing medical research in areas that most directly address the diseases and conditions that affect veterans.

In Oct 2002, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a report naming the Veteran's Health Care Administration (VHA) "the best in the Nation." In 2002-2003, the VA was described as the benchmark for patient satisfaction, leading both public and private sector entities. In July 2006, the VA model system of electronic health care records won the prestigious "Innovations in American Government Award." The electronic health care records are declared without peer and ensure provision of the best care this country can provide.

The VA Education mission is one of four legislated missions, and the VA is the largest provider of health care education and training for health care providers. As a result, the VA is a leader in the training of psychologists, physicians, pharmacists, and social workers.

The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (HSTMVH) is a full service medical center that provides inpatient and outpatient care to a diverse range of eligible veterans from mid Missouri in the areas of medicine, surgery, behavioral health, neurology and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Approximately 15,000 individual veterans receive health care services at HSTMVH, and on an average during a year 7,500 individuals receive inpatient treatment. More than 84,000 outpatient visits occur each year.

The HSTMVH's strong commitment to training results in a psychology internship program, graduate level psychology practicum opportunities, graduate level social work practicum opportunities, as well as medical residency programs in anesthesiology, internal medicine, orthopedics, pathology, psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine, and surgery at the HSTMVH. These programs are supported by connections with the University of Missouri, including both shared staff, trainees, and educational opportunities as well as geographic closeness and an underground tunnel. The medical library at the HSTMVH subscribes to major psychology journals, has a national borrowing agreement with other libraries and provides computerized literature searches, and is supported by the medical library of the University of Missouri.

The Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL), directed by Dr. Cheryl Hemme, consists of psychologists, psychology technicians, social workers, psychiatrists, nurses, rehabilitation specialists and vocational rehabilitation programs. The twelve psychologists of the BHSL have interests in emotional health and illness, behavioral medicine, posttraumatic stress disorder, addictions, crisis intervention, geropsychology, pain management, neuropsychology, rehabilitation psychology, and research. The psychology technicians administer, on request, a wide variety of psychological instruments, including both personality and cognitive batteries in the Psychology Laboratory. Dr. Jerry Parker, ACOS for Research and Development, specializes in psychological adaptation and treatments for patients with rheumatic diseases.

Psychology interns experience the responsibility of serving as Primary Behavioral Health Providers in the context of integrated behavioral health care. Interns facilitate crisis resolution while linking providers to veterans. In addition, they develop the collaborative strategies and professional confidence working shoulder to shoulder with other disciplines within the medically oriented primary care environment. At this HSTMVH, interns work with a diverse population, including both men and women consumers, from both rural and urban backgrounds, and from low-to middle- income status, and with a wide range of medical and emotional disabilities. A wide variety of consumers travel to this HSTMVH from the entire state of Missouri to request services.

At the HSTMVH, psychology interns help to fulfill the VA Education mission. Educational activities, such as dissertation defense and presentations at research and professional meetings are considered legitimate educational activities in the curricula of interns enhancing their preparation as psychologists who will be eligible for VA employment. The granting of limited authorized absence to defend a dissertation and to participate in professional activities is determined on an individual basis.