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Currently there are no evidence-based prevention programs shown to improve the mental health outcomes of Service Members transitioning to civilian life
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, has been awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and test a virtual program aimed at improving the mental health of and reducing the suicide risk for new Veterans and those preparing to leave military service.
“While there are several programs to help Veterans who have recently left the military find jobs and housing, there aren't widely available evidence-based programs to prevent mental health problems and suicide during this transition period,” said Shannon Blakey, Ph.D., a research clinical psychologist at RTI who will lead the project.
Veterans who have recently left the military are more likely to face higher risks of suicide and certain mental health disorders compared to Veterans who have been out of the military for more than a year and civilians who did not serve in the military, according to existing research.
Blakey and her colleagues will explore whether the virtual, small-group, peer-led program is feasible to implement, acceptable to Veterans who complete it and effective at buffering against mental health disorders and suicide risk. The study will recruit Veterans who are less than a year removed from the service.
Leveraging a participatory team science approach, the project will be advised by a retired Army Green Beret who specializes in career transition, a Community Advisory Board composed of Veterans and Veteran spouses and two Veteran peer program facilitators who have navigated their own military transitions.
Positive findings from the study would support subsequent work to evaluate the program in larger samples, including active duty Service Members preparing to transition out of the military.
The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 808 Schreider Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work is supported by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense, in the amount of $848,248, through the Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program under Award No. HT9425-24-1-0947. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense.
