Rural Project Examples Addressing Veterans - Rural Health Information Hub

Telepsychology-Service Delivery for Depressed Elderly Veterans
Updated/reviewed December 2021

Need: To provide evidence-based psychotherapy for depression in elderly veterans who are unable to seek mental health treatment due to distance or stigma.
Intervention: Telepsychology-Service Delivery for Depressed Elderly Veterans compared providing behavioral activation therapy via home-based telehealth and the same treatment delivered in a traditional office-based format.
Results: A 2015 study and two 2016 studies show that providing treatment via home-based telehealth to elderly veterans in South Carolina resulted in the same improved health outcomes, quality of life, satisfaction with care, and cost of healthcare compared to those receiving face-to-face treatment.

STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation)
Updated/reviewed January 2023

Need: To increase access to telemental health services for rural veterans, especially women, with a history of trauma.
Intervention: STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation) is a 10-week program designed to reduce PTSD and depression symptoms and increase emotional regulation and social functioning in clients.
Results: Therapists reported that clients attended more sessions when offered via teleconferencing, and clients reported satisfaction with the program.

Together With Veterans Rural Suicide Prevention Program
Updated/reviewed February 2023

Need: Suicide among veterans has been steadily increasing, and rural veterans have an increased risk of death by suicide compared to urban veterans.
Intervention: A program called Together With Veterans was formed to help rural communities address and prevent suicides among veterans. The initiative is veteran-led, collaborative, evidence-based, and community-centered.
Results: Data collection is ongoing.

Indiana ASPIN Veteran's Services
Updated/reviewed October 2022

Need: To address the lack of mental healthcare options for rural veterans.
Intervention: A telebehavioral health hub network was created to connect community mental health centers to the VA Medical Center.
Results: More than 3,000 telehealth appointments have been made, saving hundreds of veterans time and money.

ASPIN's Certified Recovery Specialist Program
Updated/reviewed September 2022

Need: Improved approach in addressing the behavioral health and primary care disparities of Indiana's underserved rural counties.
Intervention: A network was established that trained community health workers (CHW) to be certified health insurance enrollment navigators and provide mental health services.
Results: This year, ASPIN trained 230 CHWs, cross-trained 70 behavioral health case managers as CHWs, and 35 individuals in the Indiana Navigator Pre-certification Education.

HIV Telehealth Collaborative Care
Updated/reviewed September 2022

Need: To increase access to specialty care for rural veterans living with HIV.
Intervention: The HIV Telehealth Collaborative Care (TCC) study connects these patients with HIV specialists via clinical video telehealth or VA video connect and works to create shared care relationships with primary care teams in rural areas.
Results: The HIV TCC program provides HIV specialty care access to rural veterans in a sustainable manner with infrastructure, mentorship, and capacity building.

Military Medics and Corpsmen Program
Updated/reviewed September 2022

Need: To help veterans transition into civilian healthcare careers.
Intervention: MMAC and healthcare employers in urban and rural Virginia provide employment and education opportunities to veterans seeking civilian medical credentials.
Results: MMAC has accepted 1,113 applicants into the program, 490 of whom have already found employment via the MMAC program.

Implementation of a Nursing Veterans' Initiative to Transform Education (INVITE)
Updated/reviewed August 2022

Need: To support rural veterans pursuing a career in nursing.
Intervention: The INVITE program improved the curriculum and reworked admission requirements to better support veteran students' experiences in the College of St. Scholastica undergraduate nursing program.
Results: The number of veterans pursuing nursing has more than doubled since program implementation, and all students have reported an increased interest in serving rural communities.

Tele-ICU for Veterans
Updated/reviewed June 2021

Need: To enhance care for patients in critical condition.
Intervention: Two VA facilities in Oklahoma and Ohio are connected through audiovisual equipment using smart technology in order for providers to monitor patients and consult with clinical staff at the bedside.
Results: From October 2019 to April 2021, there were 11,058 video assessments performed on ICU patients at the Oklahoma facility by tele-ICU staff. This resulted in 17,578 hours of patient care time.

Rural Project Examples: Veterans