Dissemination of evidence‐based psychological treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder in the Veterans Health Administration

TLDR

Effective, specialized PTSD treatments exist but have not been widely available, prompting the VA to nationally disseminate two evidence‑based psychotherapies. The study examines the VA’s national training initiatives for Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure. The VA implemented national training programs and multiple strategies to support local implementation of CPT and PE among mental health staff. Initial evaluations show patient, therapist, and system‑level outcomes, and the authors discuss key lessons, issues, and next steps for maximizing impact and sustainability.

Abstract

Unlike the post-Vietnam era, effective, specialized treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now exist, although these treatments have not been widely available in clinical settings. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is nationally disseminating 2 evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD throughout the VA health care system. The VA has developed national initiatives to train mental health staff in the delivery of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE) and has implemented a variety of strategies to promote local implementation. In this article, the authors examine VA's national CPT and PE training initiatives and report initial patient, therapist, and system-level program evaluation results. Key issues, lessons learned, and next steps for maximizing impact and sustainability are also addressed.