How Veterans move from a positive PTSD screen to VA mental health care
Understanding Pathways to Care for Veterans who Screen Positive for PTSD: The PTSD Access To Healthcare (PATH) Study
This project looks at the steps Veterans take after a positive PTSD screen to see how they get connected to VA mental health services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11515706 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will follow Veterans who screen positive for PTSD in VA primary care to map the sequence of options offered and choices Veterans make after a positive screen. They will examine VA medical records and follow-up data alongside clinic- and community-level information to identify where Veterans stop receiving care. The team will analyze individual and contextual factors that predict who connects to VA mental health services and who is lost along the way. Findings will be turned into practical guidance for targeting access interventions and a method for classifying screening-to-care pathways that could be applied to other conditions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Veterans who recently screened positive for PTSD during a VA primary care visit and receive or are eligible for VA services are the primary candidates for this work.
Not a fit: Veterans who do not use VA health services, who were never screened in VA primary care, or who are already engaged in specialty PTSD treatment may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help more Veterans get timely VA mental health care by showing where to target outreach and system changes after a positive PTSD screen.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has documented gaps between PTSD screening and treatment, but detailed pathway mapping to pinpoint when and why Veterans are lost is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- VA Boston Health Care System — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bovin, Michelle — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Bovin, Michelle
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.