Combined recovery program and home telehealth for Veterans leaving VA hospitals
Official title: Impact of Combined Recovery Program and Home Telehealth Among Veterans with substance use disorders in the VA Inpatient Setting
Funded at Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center · NIH-11363720 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | October 1, 2021 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003104-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363720 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
A patient-centered decision tool called MyPath aims to help postpartum women with substance use disorders choose and keep effective contraception after giving birth.
-
Transforming prison care for HIV, HIV risk, and substance use disorders
A patient-friendly look at improving HIV care and prevention for people in state prisons, especially where substance use is common.
-
Genetic factors behind alcohol and opioid use disorders and depression in veterans
A study using genetic data from veterans to understand how genes contribute to co-occurring alcohol use, prescription opioid use, and depression.
-
Written Exposure Therapy for Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorder (brief trauma treatment)
A brief trauma-focused therapy called Written Exposure Therapy is being studied to help veterans who have both PTSD and substance use disorders.
-
Web-based training to treat PTSD and substance use together in Veterans
A web-based training resource helps VA clinicians learn how to provide integrated treatment for Veterans with both PTSD and substance use disorders.
-
Mobile health support to help Veterans with substance use disorders function better after treatment
A smartphone app, based on Motivational Enhancement Therapy, is being developed to help Veterans stay on track and function better after leaving residential substance use treatment.
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.