Clinician and chaplain support program for Veterans with moral injury
Official title: Mental Health Clinician/Chaplain Collaboration (MC3): A Pilot Study
Funded at Central Arkansas Veterans Hlthcare Sys · NIH-11196728 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program offers coordinated help from VA mental health clinicians and chaplains to Veterans dealing with guilt, shame, and isolation linked to moral injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Central Arkansas Veterans Hlthcare Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I21HX003715-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196728 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans receiving VA care who have moral injury symptoms such as persistent guilt, shame, or withdrawal, often alongside PTSD or substance use problems.
✕Less likely to help
People without moral injury symptoms, those not enrolled in or able to access care at the VA site, or those who do not want chaplain involvement are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would meet with VA chaplains who focus on forgiveness and helping you reconnect with your community while mental health clinicians coordinate your care and monitor progress. The program combines services from the mental health clinic, chaplaincy, and community partners to address moral injury symptoms that often occur with PTSD or substance use. As a pilot at the Central Arkansas VA, participants will receive the MC3 intervention and staff will track changes in guilt, shame, social isolation, and related suicide-risk indicators over time. Results will guide whether this combined clinician–chaplain approach should be offered more broadly to Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Veterans may feel less guilt and shame, reconnect more with others, and have lower suicide risk.
How similar studies have gone: Using chaplains to directly address forgiveness and community reintegration is a relatively new approach and has not yet been widely tested in controlled trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Central Arkansas Veterans Hlthcare Sys
North Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pyne, Jeffrey M. — Central Arkansas Veterans Hlthcare Sys
- Study coordinator: Pyne, Jeffrey M.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.