Homecoming Line: Telephone Support for Veterans



Status:Completed
Conditions:Psychiatric, Psychiatric
Therapuetic Areas:Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 100
Updated:4/21/2016
Start Date:March 2008
End Date:August 2014

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This study will determine whether telephone support improves clinical outcomes of veterans
who begin outpatient treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Participants will be
randomly assigned to receive either usual care or usual care supplemented by biweekly
monitoring and support by telephone during the first 3 months of treatment. Patients in both
conditions will be compared on PTSD symptoms, engagement in treatment, violence and drinking
at 4 months and 12 months after entering treatment.

This multisite randomized controlled trial will test whether a 3-month period of providing
telephone monitoring to PTSD patients as a supplement to usual specialty mental health care
improves 12-month clinical outcomes (a reduction in PTSD symptoms, violence, and substance
use). Secondarily, this study will determine whether telephone monitoring promotes better
engagement in outpatient treatment (Number of mental health and psychotherapy visits during
the 3-month intervention period).

Demand for VA PTSD treatment is increasing as troops return from combat deployments in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Telemedicine is likely to be an important component in developing more
effective and efficient models of PTSD care that improves patient functioning and treatment
utilization. It is hoped that using telephone case monitoring as an inexpensive adjunct to
standard care may improve clinical outcomes and reduce hospitalization among veterans with
PTSD.

Inclusion Criteria:

- VA patients newly entering outpatient treatment mental health treatment for PTSD
starting a new phase of outpatient PTSD treatment (e.g., transitioning from a
psycho-education group to active psychotherapy) at one of the study sites.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Active duty personnel

- Cognitive impairment which precludes giving informed consent

- Initiating residential or inpatient treatment rather than outpatient treatment
We found this trial at
3
sites
508 Fulton Street
Durham, North Carolina 27705
919-286-0411
Durham VA Medical Center Since 1953, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Cetner has been improving the...
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