Helping Veterans with PTSD through family support and coaching.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Coaching into Care with VA-CRAFT to Promote Veteran Engagement in PTSD Care

NIH-funded research Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11145693

This study is testing a new phone coaching service to help Veterans with PTSD get more involved in their mental health care, while also supporting their families, so they can work together to encourage the Veterans to start and stick with treatment.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVeterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Palo Alto, United States)
Project IDNIH-11145693 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates a new approach to enhance the engagement of Veterans with PTSD in mental health care by utilizing a telephone-based coaching service called Coaching Into Care (CIC). The study aims to integrate this service with a web program known as VA Community Reinforcement and Family Training (VA-CRAFT) to better support family members who are seeking care for their loved ones. By empowering families, the research seeks to improve the likelihood that Veterans will initiate and continue mental health services. The goal is to create a scalable and effective intervention that addresses both the needs of Veterans and their families.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are Veterans struggling with PTSD who are not currently receiving mental health care and their family members seeking to support them.

Not a fit: Patients who are already engaged in mental health care or do not have family support may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase the number of Veterans with PTSD who seek and receive mental health care, benefiting both them and their families.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that family involvement can enhance treatment outcomes for Veterans, indicating that this approach has potential based on established principles.

Where this research is happening

Palo Alto, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.