Combined recovery program and home telehealth for Veterans leaving VA hospitals
Impact of Combined Recovery Program and Home Telehealth Among Veterans with substance use disorders in the VA Inpatient Setting
This project combines group recovery sessions with nurse-supported home telehealth to help Veterans with substance use disorders stay connected to care after leaving the VA hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11363720 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a Veteran treated for a substance use disorder in a VA hospital, this program pairs group motivational interviewing and life-skills training for housing stability with a nurse-monitored home telehealth program after discharge. The team aims to reduce hospital readmissions and improve follow-up mental health and suicide-risk care by stabilizing Veterans during the critical post-discharge period. Participants join group sessions in the hospital and then receive regular telehealth check-ins and self-management support from a VA Home Telehealth nurse at home. Researchers will track outcomes like treatment engagement after discharge, rehospitalization rates, and care processes for Veterans at high risk for suicide.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans hospitalized in the VA system for substance use disorders who can attend group sessions and receive home telehealth monitoring after discharge.
Not a fit: Veterans who are not enrolled in VA care, cannot access or use home telehealth technology, or whose main needs are unrelated to substance use or housing instability may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce rehospitalizations and help Veterans maintain housing stability and ongoing mental-health and substance-use care after discharge.
How similar studies have performed: Motivational interviewing and telehealth have shown promise for keeping people engaged in substance-use care, but combining group recovery, housing-skills training, and nurse-monitored home telehealth in VA inpatient settings is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Charleston, United States
- Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center — Charleston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Santa Ana, Elizabeth J — Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Santa Ana, Elizabeth J
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 below.