The New England VISN 1 Mental Illness Research and Education Center (MIRECC) has received 5 years of continuing funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VISN 1 MIRECC, established in 1997, is focused on improving care for veterans with "dual diagnosis," that is veterans with histories of mental illness in combination with addiction problems. These veterans have unique needs because having two types of illness makes it more challenging to recover from either one.
The VISN 1 MIRECC leadership includes four faculty members from Yale University's Department Psychiatry: Mehmet Sofuoglu, MD, PhD, (Acting Director); Ismene Petrakis, MD; Marc Rosen, MD; and Robert Rosenheck, MD.
The Center is a combined effort between researchers and clinicians from VA Medical Centers in West Haven, CT, Newington, CT, and Bedford, MA. Its investigators focus on health services research, clinical efficacy research, and human neurobiological research.