a message to our veterans mental health - va research · 2009. 7. 30. · anxiety disorders anxiety...
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Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Joel Kupersmith, M.D.Chief Research and Development OfficerDepartment of Veterans Affairs
A Message to Our Veterans
VA Research—Advancing Care for Veterans with Mental Health Care Needs
VA investigators, many of whom also provide patient care, are pioneering advancesin the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders. Current studies arelooking at a wide range of mental health-related issues affecting Veterans—fromaging Veterans to the new generation who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.Researchers are looking at various potential approaches for treating and preventingmental health disorders and also at related issues such as developing and evaluatingcollaborative primary care models and improving access to services from remoteareas using the Internet and other progressive technologies.
Focus areas include: mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder;anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); psychoticdisorders, such as schizophrenia, dementia and memory disorders; and substanceuse disorders. VA investigators also focus on the co-occurrence of mental healthissues and physical disorders—depression in those with spinal cord injury orsubstance abuse by patients with chronic pain, for example.
This brochure highlights examples of VA researchers’ trailblazing discoveries andinnovations in support of Veterans’ mental health care needs.
A C C E S S T O C A R E
VA operates the largest mental health caresystem in the country, providing Veterans:
• More than 11,000 mental health careprofessionals, with more than 800psychologists hired in the last 3 years.
• General inpatient psychiatric services at132 medical centers across the nation.
• Mental health outpatient services atmore than 685 medical centers andCommunity-Based Outpatient Clinics.
• Readjustment counseling services forVeterans and their families at more than232 Vet Centers across the country.
• A new suicide hotline (1-800-273-TALK) available 24 hoursa day, seven days a week, to help Veteransin need, and suicide preventioncoordinators at each VA medical center.
World-class investigators with the VA Research and
Development program are at the leading edge in
research to advance mental health care for Veterans
and ultimately for all Americans.
M E N T A L H E A L T H
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T
2009For questions or additional copies contact:
R&D Communications (12)
103 South Gay Street, Ste. 517
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 962-1800 x223
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T
Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Joel Kupersmith, M.D.Chief Research and Development OfficerDepartment of Veterans Affairs
A Message to Our Veterans
VA Research—Advancing Care for Veterans with Mental Health Care Needs
VA investigators, many of whom also provide patient care, are pioneering advancesin the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders. Current studies arelooking at a wide range of mental health-related issues affecting Veterans—fromaging Veterans to the new generation who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.Researchers are looking at various potential approaches for treating and preventingmental health disorders and also at related issues such as developing and evaluatingcollaborative primary care models and improving access to services from remoteareas using the Internet and other progressive technologies.
Focus areas include: mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder;anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); psychoticdisorders, such as schizophrenia, dementia and memory disorders; and substanceuse disorders. VA investigators also focus on the co-occurrence of mental healthissues and physical disorders—depression in those with spinal cord injury orsubstance abuse by patients with chronic pain, for example.
This brochure highlights examples of VA researchers’ trailblazing discoveries andinnovations in support of Veterans’ mental health care needs.
A C C E S S T O C A R E
VA operates the largest mental health caresystem in the country, providing Veterans:
• More than 11,000 mental health careprofessionals, with more than 800psychologists hired in the last 3 years.
• General inpatient psychiatric services at132 medical centers across the nation.
• Mental health outpatient services atmore than 685 medical centers andCommunity-Based Outpatient Clinics.
• Readjustment counseling services forVeterans and their families at more than232 Vet Centers across the country.
• A new suicide hotline (1-800-273-TALK) available 24 hoursa day, seven days a week, to help Veteransin need, and suicide preventioncoordinators at each VA medical center.
World-class investigators with the VA Research and
Development program are at the leading edge in
research to advance mental health care for Veterans
and ultimately for all Americans.
M E N T A L H E A L T H
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T
2009
For questions or additional copies contact:
R&D Communications (12)
103 South Gay Street, Ste. 517
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 962-1800 x223
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T
Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Some important ongoing studies are: • Testing whether computer-simulated,“virtual reality” combat environments canenhance the effectiveness of prolongedexposure therapy.
• Exploring whether prazosin, a commonlyprescribed high blood pressure medication,can lessen sleep disturbances and nightmaresin patients with PTSD.
• Determining the most effective ways todeliver psychotherapy—in individual orgroup settings or with telephone or Internetreminders, for example.
VA researchers often focus on particularlychallenging or less-studied aspects of mentalhealth. Two recent examples are: • While most patients recover from PTSD,some develop chronic cases that do notrespond well to medication or therapy. The VA Cooperative Studies Program is conducting a large, multi-site clinical trialin this population to determine whether the drug risperidone helps to relieve chronicPTSD when added to standard medication.
• VA researchers’ recent findings from thelargest study to date involving women Veteranswith PTSD indicate that a type of therapycalled prolonged exposure therapy is effectivefor this group. The VA is systematicallyadopting this treatment approach.Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297(8):820–30.
Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is a normal biological reaction to astressful event, but in some cases, anxiety continues for a long period and may worsenover time, with symptoms such as nightmares,racing pulse, and overreactions. In persistentcases, anxiety disorders such as posttraumaticstress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, or phobias may develop.
VA research toward improving treatment forpatients with anxiety disorders includes:• Using brain imaging to study differencesbetween patients with and without anxietydisorders.
• Studying anti-anxiety (as well asanti-depressive) drugs to determine howthey work in the brain, and how hormonesand other chemicals may influence drugs’effectiveness.
• Further exploring the VA-discoveredgenetic and biochemical pathways thatshow a link between anxiety andalcohololism and may point the way tonew drug targets for both conditions.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In recent years, VA investigators have madevital strides in understanding how the brainworks in PTSD, an anxiety disorder oftenassociated with Veterans exposed to combatbut that also occurs in the general population.VA researchers have established much of theevidence relating to the biological basis ofPTSD—a disorder that during past wars wascalled “soldier’s heart,” “shell shock,” or “combat fatigue.”
VA researchers have looked at many different aspects of PTSD, including associated brainchanges; factors that may increase a person’srisk for developing the disorder; and strategiesfor prevention and treatment.
Spotlight on VAResearch Advances
Mood DisordersVA Research is making important headwayin the treatment, screening, and diagnosisof mood disorders such as depression, bipolardisorder, persistent despondency, and seasonalaffective disorder.
Important areas of VA research on mood disordersinclude: • Determining the benefits of cognitivebehavioral therapy, a type of psychologicaltherapy that examines patterns of thoughtand belief.
• Developing models of family interventionsand social support to promote recovery frommood disorders.
• Understanding whether certain riskfactors make a person more likely to sufferfrom depression or respond to a specificmedication.
• Identifying and testing potential new drugsfor depression.
VA Research’s “Translating Initiatives forDepression into Effective Solutions” (TIDES)project has shown that most Veterans withdepression and no other serious medicalconditions can be effectively treated inprimary care settings. The TIDES model ofcare is a team approach in which primary careproviders and mental health specialists worktogether, with a “care manager” to help withcoordination.
Dr. Robert Freedman,with the Denver VA Medical Center, has earned VA’s highestbiomedical research honor, the William S. Middleton Award, for his achievementsin schizophrenia research. Dr. Freedman’s exploration of the role of a gene associatedwith both nicotine addiction and inherited risk for schizophrenia has led to thedevelopment of a potential new treatment for schizophrenia.
Psychotic DisordersPsychotic disorders such as schizophreniaaffect a small proportion of the general andVeteran population but can have devastatingeffects. Each year, VA provides care to about100,000 Veterans with schizophrenia.
Important areas of VA research into schizophreniainclude: • Using state-of-the-art imaging techniquesto identify brain structures important inschizophrenia and studying how thestructures respond to various medications.
• Determining how Veterans with schizophrenia can function at their highestlevel through improvements in vocationalrehabilitation and social cognition training.
Dementia and Memory DisordersDementia is a general term for disordersinvolving a decline in memory, thinking,judgment, and learning ability. As the Veteranpopulation ages, Alzheimer’s disease and otherforms of dementia are an increasingly pressingconcern.
VA research related to dementia include: • Investigating certain proteins in the bloodthat appear to predict the onset ofAlzheimer’s disease and could be thebasis of a screening test.
• Studying the dietary supplements DHA(docosahexaenoic acid, a type of fat foundin fish, fish oil, and certain nuts) andcurcumin (a yellow pigment found in thespice turmeric) for their possible role inthe prevention and treatment ofAlzheimer’s disease.
• Investigating the biological basis of memoryto help identify abnormalities in patients withdementia or other memory disorders.
In an advance that leading researchers rankamong the most important new findings inAlzheimer’s research, a VA laboratory hasidentified a compound in the brain thatdisrupts memory and could play a role inimproved methods of detection and treatmentof Alzheimer’s disease.
Science. 2005;309:476-81.
Substance Use DisordersSubstance use and abuse, with its associatedhealth consequences, is a major public healthproblem and commonly occurs with othermental and physical problems such asdepression or chronic pain. Health care costsassociated with substance abuse amount tomore than $484 billion per year—more thantwice the national cost of caring for cancer.
Important areas of VA research into substanceuse and abuse include:• Demonstrating that telephone counselinghelps Veterans quit smoking.
• Studying interventions, such as antidepressantmedication, to simultaneously treat depressionand substance abuse.
• Showing that timely treatment by a healthcare professional and/or participation inAlcoholics Anonymous is associated withfaster improvement and higher long-termremission in alcohol use disorders than“natural remission” (getting sober withoutformal treatment or help).
Visionary Research ExamplesInnovative team care model—A study including about 300 Veterans withbipolar disorder at 11 VA Medical Centersfound that those receiving care through a newcollaborative model utilizing clinical treatmentteams and patient-management skills had betteroutcomes than those in usual care, withoutadded costs.
Link between anxiety and alcoholism— A VA research team in Chicago has discovereda genetic and biochemical pathway linkinganxiety and alcoholism. Their studies focuson a molecule called CREB, which activatesvarious genes and may point the way to newdrug targets for both conditions.
Improving mental health outcomes for Veterans who are homeless—Researchers with VA’s Northeast Program Evaluation Center recently documented the effectiveness of a program to help improvehousing and mental health outcomes afterhospitalization for Veterans who have beenhomeless.
Fostering dynamic collaborations—To advance Veterans’ health care and furtherits national impact, VA’s Research andDevelopment program collaborates in itsmental health research efforts with federalagencies such as the National Institutes ofHealth and the Department of Defense,private research organizations, and VeteransService Organizations.
Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Some important ongoing studies are: • Testing whether computer-simulated,“virtual reality” combat environments canenhance the effectiveness of prolongedexposure therapy.
• Exploring whether prazosin, a commonlyprescribed high blood pressure medication,can lessen sleep disturbances and nightmaresin patients with PTSD.
• Determining the most effective ways todeliver psychotherapy—in individual orgroup settings or with telephone or Internetreminders, for example.
VA researchers often focus on particularlychallenging or less-studied aspects of mentalhealth. Two recent examples are: • While most patients recover from PTSD,some develop chronic cases that do notrespond well to medication or therapy. The VA Cooperative Studies Program is conducting a large, multi-site clinical trialin this population to determine whether the drug risperidone helps to relieve chronicPTSD when added to standard medication.
• VA researchers’ recent findings from thelargest study to date involving women Veteranswith PTSD indicate that a type of therapycalled prolonged exposure therapy is effectivefor this group. The VA is systematicallyadopting this treatment approach.Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297(8):820–30.
Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is a normal biological reaction to astressful event, but in some cases, anxiety continues for a long period and may worsenover time, with symptoms such as nightmares,racing pulse, and overreactions. In persistentcases, anxiety disorders such as posttraumaticstress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, or phobias may develop.
VA research toward improving treatment forpatients with anxiety disorders includes:• Using brain imaging to study differencesbetween patients with and without anxietydisorders.
• Studying anti-anxiety (as well asanti-depressive) drugs to determine howthey work in the brain, and how hormonesand other chemicals may influence drugs’effectiveness.
• Further exploring the VA-discoveredgenetic and biochemical pathways thatshow a link between anxiety andalcohololism and may point the way tonew drug targets for both conditions.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In recent years, VA investigators have madevital strides in understanding how the brainworks in PTSD, an anxiety disorder oftenassociated with Veterans exposed to combatbut that also occurs in the general population.VA researchers have established much of theevidence relating to the biological basis ofPTSD—a disorder that during past wars wascalled “soldier’s heart,” “shell shock,” or “combat fatigue.”
VA researchers have looked at many different aspects of PTSD, including associated brainchanges; factors that may increase a person’srisk for developing the disorder; and strategiesfor prevention and treatment.
Spotlight on VAResearch Advances
Mood DisordersVA Research is making important headwayin the treatment, screening, and diagnosisof mood disorders such as depression, bipolardisorder, persistent despondency, and seasonalaffective disorder.
Important areas of VA research on mood disordersinclude: • Determining the benefits of cognitivebehavioral therapy, a type of psychologicaltherapy that examines patterns of thoughtand belief.
• Developing models of family interventionsand social support to promote recovery frommood disorders.
• Understanding whether certain riskfactors make a person more likely to sufferfrom depression or respond to a specificmedication.
• Identifying and testing potential new drugsfor depression.
VA Research’s “Translating Initiatives forDepression into Effective Solutions” (TIDES)project has shown that most Veterans withdepression and no other serious medicalconditions can be effectively treated inprimary care settings. The TIDES model ofcare is a team approach in which primary careproviders and mental health specialists worktogether, with a “care manager” to help withcoordination.
Dr. Robert Freedman,with the Denver VA Medical Center, has earned VA’s highestbiomedical research honor, the William S. Middleton Award, for his achievementsin schizophrenia research. Dr. Freedman’s exploration of the role of a gene associatedwith both nicotine addiction and inherited risk for schizophrenia has led to thedevelopment of a potential new treatment for schizophrenia.
Psychotic DisordersPsychotic disorders such as schizophreniaaffect a small proportion of the general andVeteran population but can have devastatingeffects. Each year, VA provides care to about100,000 Veterans with schizophrenia.
Important areas of VA research into schizophreniainclude: • Using state-of-the-art imaging techniquesto identify brain structures important inschizophrenia and studying how thestructures respond to various medications.
• Determining how Veterans with schizophrenia can function at their highestlevel through improvements in vocationalrehabilitation and social cognition training.
Dementia and Memory DisordersDementia is a general term for disordersinvolving a decline in memory, thinking,judgment, and learning ability. As the Veteranpopulation ages, Alzheimer’s disease and otherforms of dementia are an increasingly pressingconcern.
VA research related to dementia include: • Investigating certain proteins in the bloodthat appear to predict the onset ofAlzheimer’s disease and could be thebasis of a screening test.
• Studying the dietary supplements DHA(docosahexaenoic acid, a type of fat foundin fish, fish oil, and certain nuts) andcurcumin (a yellow pigment found in thespice turmeric) for their possible role inthe prevention and treatment ofAlzheimer’s disease.
• Investigating the biological basis of memoryto help identify abnormalities in patients withdementia or other memory disorders.
In an advance that leading researchers rankamong the most important new findings inAlzheimer’s research, a VA laboratory hasidentified a compound in the brain thatdisrupts memory and could play a role inimproved methods of detection and treatmentof Alzheimer’s disease.
Science. 2005;309:476-81.
Substance Use DisordersSubstance use and abuse, with its associatedhealth consequences, is a major public healthproblem and commonly occurs with othermental and physical problems such asdepression or chronic pain. Health care costsassociated with substance abuse amount tomore than $484 billion per year—more thantwice the national cost of caring for cancer.
Important areas of VA research into substanceuse and abuse include:• Demonstrating that telephone counselinghelps Veterans quit smoking.
• Studying interventions, such as antidepressantmedication, to simultaneously treat depressionand substance abuse.
• Showing that timely treatment by a healthcare professional and/or participation inAlcoholics Anonymous is associated withfaster improvement and higher long-termremission in alcohol use disorders than“natural remission” (getting sober withoutformal treatment or help).
Visionary Research ExamplesInnovative team care model—A study including about 300 Veterans withbipolar disorder at 11 VA Medical Centersfound that those receiving care through a newcollaborative model utilizing clinical treatmentteams and patient-management skills had betteroutcomes than those in usual care, withoutadded costs.
Link between anxiety and alcoholism— A VA research team in Chicago has discovereda genetic and biochemical pathway linkinganxiety and alcoholism. Their studies focuson a molecule called CREB, which activatesvarious genes and may point the way to newdrug targets for both conditions.
Improving mental health outcomes for Veterans who are homeless—Researchers with VA’s Northeast Program Evaluation Center recently documented the effectiveness of a program to help improvehousing and mental health outcomes afterhospitalization for Veterans who have beenhomeless.
Fostering dynamic collaborations—To advance Veterans’ health care and furtherits national impact, VA’s Research andDevelopment program collaborates in itsmental health research efforts with federalagencies such as the National Institutes ofHealth and the Department of Defense,private research organizations, and VeteransService Organizations.
Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Some important ongoing studies are: • Testing whether computer-simulated,“virtual reality” combat environments canenhance the effectiveness of prolongedexposure therapy.
• Exploring whether prazosin, a commonlyprescribed high blood pressure medication,can lessen sleep disturbances and nightmaresin patients with PTSD.
• Determining the most effective ways todeliver psychotherapy—in individual orgroup settings or with telephone or Internetreminders, for example.
VA researchers often focus on particularlychallenging or less-studied aspects of mentalhealth. Two recent examples are: • While most patients recover from PTSD,some develop chronic cases that do notrespond well to medication or therapy. The VA Cooperative Studies Program is conducting a large, multi-site clinical trialin this population to determine whether the drug risperidone helps to relieve chronicPTSD when added to standard medication.
• VA researchers’ recent findings from thelargest study to date involving women Veteranswith PTSD indicate that a type of therapycalled prolonged exposure therapy is effectivefor this group. The VA is systematicallyadopting this treatment approach.Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297(8):820–30.
Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is a normal biological reaction to astressful event, but in some cases, anxiety continues for a long period and may worsenover time, with symptoms such as nightmares,racing pulse, and overreactions. In persistentcases, anxiety disorders such as posttraumaticstress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, or phobias may develop.
VA research toward improving treatment forpatients with anxiety disorders includes:• Using brain imaging to study differencesbetween patients with and without anxietydisorders.
• Studying anti-anxiety (as well asanti-depressive) drugs to determine howthey work in the brain, and how hormonesand other chemicals may influence drugs’effectiveness.
• Further exploring the VA-discoveredgenetic and biochemical pathways thatshow a link between anxiety andalcohololism and may point the way tonew drug targets for both conditions.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In recent years, VA investigators have madevital strides in understanding how the brainworks in PTSD, an anxiety disorder oftenassociated with Veterans exposed to combatbut that also occurs in the general population.VA researchers have established much of theevidence relating to the biological basis ofPTSD—a disorder that during past wars wascalled “soldier’s heart,” “shell shock,” or “combat fatigue.”
VA researchers have looked at many different aspects of PTSD, including associated brainchanges; factors that may increase a person’srisk for developing the disorder; and strategiesfor prevention and treatment.
Spotlight on VAResearch Advances
Mood DisordersVA Research is making important headwayin the treatment, screening, and diagnosisof mood disorders such as depression, bipolardisorder, persistent despondency, and seasonalaffective disorder.
Important areas of VA research on mood disordersinclude: • Determining the benefits of cognitivebehavioral therapy, a type of psychologicaltherapy that examines patterns of thoughtand belief.
• Developing models of family interventionsand social support to promote recovery frommood disorders.
• Understanding whether certain riskfactors make a person more likely to sufferfrom depression or respond to a specificmedication.
• Identifying and testing potential new drugsfor depression.
VA Research’s “Translating Initiatives forDepression into Effective Solutions” (TIDES)project has shown that most Veterans withdepression and no other serious medicalconditions can be effectively treated inprimary care settings. The TIDES model ofcare is a team approach in which primary careproviders and mental health specialists worktogether, with a “care manager” to help withcoordination.
Dr. Robert Freedman,with the Denver VA Medical Center, has earned VA’s highestbiomedical research honor, the William S. Middleton Award, for his achievementsin schizophrenia research. Dr. Freedman’s exploration of the role of a gene associatedwith both nicotine addiction and inherited risk for schizophrenia has led to thedevelopment of a potential new treatment for schizophrenia.
Psychotic DisordersPsychotic disorders such as schizophreniaaffect a small proportion of the general andVeteran population but can have devastatingeffects. Each year, VA provides care to about100,000 Veterans with schizophrenia.
Important areas of VA research into schizophreniainclude: • Using state-of-the-art imaging techniquesto identify brain structures important inschizophrenia and studying how thestructures respond to various medications.
• Determining how Veterans with schizophrenia can function at their highestlevel through improvements in vocationalrehabilitation and social cognition training.
Dementia and Memory DisordersDementia is a general term for disordersinvolving a decline in memory, thinking,judgment, and learning ability. As the Veteranpopulation ages, Alzheimer’s disease and otherforms of dementia are an increasingly pressingconcern.
VA research related to dementia include: • Investigating certain proteins in the bloodthat appear to predict the onset ofAlzheimer’s disease and could be thebasis of a screening test.
• Studying the dietary supplements DHA(docosahexaenoic acid, a type of fat foundin fish, fish oil, and certain nuts) andcurcumin (a yellow pigment found in thespice turmeric) for their possible role inthe prevention and treatment ofAlzheimer’s disease.
• Investigating the biological basis of memoryto help identify abnormalities in patients withdementia or other memory disorders.
In an advance that leading researchers rankamong the most important new findings inAlzheimer’s research, a VA laboratory hasidentified a compound in the brain thatdisrupts memory and could play a role inimproved methods of detection and treatmentof Alzheimer’s disease.
Science. 2005;309:476-81.
Substance Use DisordersSubstance use and abuse, with its associatedhealth consequences, is a major public healthproblem and commonly occurs with othermental and physical problems such asdepression or chronic pain. Health care costsassociated with substance abuse amount tomore than $484 billion per year—more thantwice the national cost of caring for cancer.
Important areas of VA research into substanceuse and abuse include:• Demonstrating that telephone counselinghelps Veterans quit smoking.
• Studying interventions, such as antidepressantmedication, to simultaneously treat depressionand substance abuse.
• Showing that timely treatment by a healthcare professional and/or participation inAlcoholics Anonymous is associated withfaster improvement and higher long-termremission in alcohol use disorders than“natural remission” (getting sober withoutformal treatment or help).
Visionary Research ExamplesInnovative team care model—A study including about 300 Veterans withbipolar disorder at 11 VA Medical Centersfound that those receiving care through a newcollaborative model utilizing clinical treatmentteams and patient-management skills had betteroutcomes than those in usual care, withoutadded costs.
Link between anxiety and alcoholism— A VA research team in Chicago has discovereda genetic and biochemical pathway linkinganxiety and alcoholism. Their studies focuson a molecule called CREB, which activatesvarious genes and may point the way to newdrug targets for both conditions.
Improving mental health outcomes for Veterans who are homeless—Researchers with VA’s Northeast Program Evaluation Center recently documented the effectiveness of a program to help improvehousing and mental health outcomes afterhospitalization for Veterans who have beenhomeless.
Fostering dynamic collaborations—To advance Veterans’ health care and furtherits national impact, VA’s Research andDevelopment program collaborates in itsmental health research efforts with federalagencies such as the National Institutes ofHealth and the Department of Defense,private research organizations, and VeteransService Organizations.
Research to Advance
Mental Health Care
Joel Kupersmith, M.D.Chief Research and Development OfficerDepartment of Veterans Affairs
A Message to Our Veterans
VA Research—Advancing Care for Veterans with Mental Health Care Needs
VA investigators, many of whom also provide patient care, are pioneering advancesin the understanding and treatment of mental health disorders. Current studies arelooking at a wide range of mental health-related issues affecting Veterans—fromaging Veterans to the new generation who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.Researchers are looking at various potential approaches for treating and preventingmental health disorders and also at related issues such as developing and evaluatingcollaborative primary care models and improving access to services from remoteareas using the Internet and other progressive technologies.
Focus areas include: mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder;anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); psychoticdisorders, such as schizophrenia, dementia and memory disorders; and substanceuse disorders. VA investigators also focus on the co-occurrence of mental healthissues and physical disorders—depression in those with spinal cord injury orsubstance abuse by patients with chronic pain, for example.
This brochure highlights examples of VA researchers’ trailblazing discoveries andinnovations in support of Veterans’ mental health care needs.
A C C E S S T O C A R E
VA operates the largest mental health caresystem in the country, providing Veterans:
• More than 11,000 mental health careprofessionals, with more than 800psychologists hired in the last 3 years.
• General inpatient psychiatric services at132 medical centers across the nation.
• Mental health outpatient services atmore than 685 medical centers andCommunity-Based Outpatient Clinics.
• Readjustment counseling services forVeterans and their families at more than232 Vet Centers across the country.
• A new suicide hotline (1-800-273-TALK) available 24 hoursa day, seven days a week, to help Veteransin need, and suicide preventioncoordinators at each VA medical center.
World-class investigators with the VA Research and
Development program are at the leading edge in
research to advance mental health care for Veterans
and ultimately for all Americans.
M E N T A L H E A L T H
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T
2009
For questions or additional copies contact:
R&D Communications (12)
103 South Gay Street, Ste. 517
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 962-1800 x223
D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T D I S C O V E R Y I N N O V A T I O N A D V A N C E M E N T