BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Policy makers are calling for an enhancement to the process of screening, assessment, referral, treatment, and follow-up for OIF veterans. By identifying and treating post-deployment behavioral health disorderes as soon as possible, the negative impact on veterans and families can be minimized. Traditionally the VA has not initiated outreach efforts to identify newly returning veterans at-risk for mental health and substance abuse disorders and link them with appropriate behavioral health treatments. However, there is growing interest in developing such interventions as demonstrated by two recent calls for applications (VA HSR&D Program Announcement June 20, 2005 and NIMH RFA MH06-004 "Intervention and Practice Research for Combat Related Mental Disorders".) In addition, this project addresses three of the six research areas emphasized in the Rapid Response Proposal Announcement: 1) intervention and implementation research targeting recently separated military personnel from the OEF/OIF conflicts; 2) quantitative and qualitative surveys of performace gaps for emerging needs of new veterans; and 3)enhancing access to evidence-based care as well as continuity and coordination of care for new veterans entering the VA healtcare system.
OBJECTIVE(S):
The purpose of this study is to conduct an intervention planning assessment to identify needs for and barriers to VA behavioral health care from the perspectives of newly returning National Guard soldiers deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and veterans organization representatives. This application is a partnership between the MH QUERI Coordinating Center and the MH QUERI Clinical Coordinators Office.
Specific aims include: 1) Assessing perceived needs and barriers to behavioral health treatment among returning OIF soldiers and 2) Assessing perceived needs, barriers, and resources for behavioral health treatment among key stakeholders in veteran organizations.
METHODS:
Two studies will be implemented. One will focus on returning OIF soldiers and assess barriers to behavioral health care in the VA using both quantitaive and qualitative methods. Soldiers who meet screening criteria for depression, generalized anxiety or PTSD will be asked to participate in an in-depth qualitative interview on barriers to care. The second study will focus on how representative of veteran organizations perceive the need for behavioral health care for returning soldiers. Representatives will include veteran or consumers representatives on the MH QUERI Executive Committee, the Committee on Care of Veterans with Serious Mental Illness, the VISN 1 MIRECC Consumer Advisory Board, and the Translating Initiatives in Depression into Effective Solutions (TIDES) project.
Data will be collected from key informant interviews. Audiotapes of interviews wil be transcribed and analyzed by reviewing transcripts to identify genreal themes. Members of the research team will review portions of the transcripts and mark codes independently. AFter separately reviwing transcripts, members of the research team will examin marked portions of the text in more detail.
FINDINGS/RESULTS:
No results at this time.
IMPACT:
The long-term goal of this project is to develop programs and policies designed to increase the likelihood that veterans with combat related disorders will have access to evidence-based behavioral health treatments, consistent with MH QUERI's mission to improve quality of care and outcomes for veterans with depression and comorbid psychiatric conditions.
PUBLICATIONS:
Journal Articles
- Stecker T, Fortney JC, Hamilton F, Ajzen I. An assessment of beliefs about mental health care among veterans who served in Iraq. Psychiatric Services. 2007; 58(10): 1358-61.
