Helping Veterans with PTSD through family support and coaching
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Coaching into Care with VA-CRAFT to Promote Veteran Engagement in PTSD Care
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11291835 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a friendly phone coaching program to help family and friends of Veterans with PTSD encourage them to get the mental health care they need, making it easier for everyone involved.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX002955-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11291835 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Veterans experiencing PTSD who are not currently receiving mental health care, along with their family members seeking to support them.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are already receiving effective mental health care for PTSD may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new approach to improve mental health care engagement for Veterans with PTSD by utilizing a telephone-based coaching service called Coaching Into Care (CIC). The program aims to educate and empower family members and friends of Veterans to encourage them to seek mental health services. By integrating an evidence-based web program, VA Community Reinforcement and Family Training (VA-CRAFT), the study seeks to enhance the effectiveness of CIC and increase the likelihood that Veterans will initiate care. The ultimate goal is to create a scalable intervention that not only supports Veterans but also addresses the needs of their families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase the number of Veterans with PTSD who engage in mental health care, leading to improved outcomes for both Veterans and their families.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that family involvement can enhance treatment engagement for Veterans, indicating that this approach has potential based on established principles.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuhn, Eric Roland — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Kuhn, Eric Roland
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Web-based moral elevation program for Veterans with PTSD
A free, online eight-session program helps Veterans with PTSD feel inspired by virtuous acts to improve social functioning and quality of life.
-
Family coaching plus VA‑CRAFT to help Veterans with PTSD start treatment
This project looks at whether adding an online program called VA‑CRAFT to the VA's phone-based Coaching Into Care helps family members support Veterans with PTSD to begin mental health care.
-
Helping Veterans with PTSD through family support and coaching
This study is exploring a new way to help Veterans with PTSD get more involved in their mental health care by using a phone coaching service and a web program that supports families, making it easier for them to encourage their loved ones to seek help.
-
Improving sleep, nightmares, and daytime functioning in veterans with PTSD
This project will try a tailored, module-based sleep program to reduce insomnia, nightmares, and sleep-related problems for veterans with PTSD.
-
Helping Veterans with PTSD through family support and coaching.
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.
-
Improving sleep health for veterans with PTSD
This study is looking to help military veterans with PTSD who have trouble sleeping, like insomnia or nightmares, by using a special program called TranS-C that’s designed just for them, so they can get better sleep and feel more energized during the day.
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.