Pride in All Who Served: A Practical Program to Help LGBTQ+ Veterans Thrive
Official title: A HYBRID EFFECTIVENESS-IMPLEMENTATION STUDY OF THE PRIDE IN ALL WHO SERVED PROGRAM FOR LGBTQ+ VETERANS
Funded at Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr · NIH-11388789 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program embedded in VA care helps LGBTQ+ Veterans feel safer, supported, and connected to reduce thoughts of suicide and improve access to care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tuscaloosa, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003897-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11388789 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
LGBTQ+ Veterans who access VA care and experience stigma or barriers to mental health and healthcare services.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans who are not LGBTQ+ or who do not face related stigma or access barriers may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests how well the Pride in All Who Served intervention works when implemented in real VA settings for LGBTQ+ Veterans. It uses a 10-week health-promotion group designed with input from Veterans to reduce internalized stigma and strengthen protective factors like social support. The study emphasizes real-world delivery, working with VA partners to adapt the program to diverse clinics and patient needs. Participants are LGBTQ+ Veterans who may be experiencing stigma, mental health challenges, or barriers to accessing VA care. Outcomes focus on suicide-related risk factors, engagement in care, and overall wellbeing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce suicide risk and improve health care engagement for LGBTQ+ Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research supports targeted, community-informed interventions for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ populations, with growing evidence in veteran groups.
Where this research is happening
-
Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr
Tuscaloosa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hilgeman, Michelle M. — Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Ctr
- Study coordinator: Hilgeman, Michelle M.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Montessori-style person-centered care for Veterans with dementia and serious mental illness in VA nursing homes
This trains VA nursing home staff to use Montessori-based, person-centered techniques to reduce agitation and improve daily life for Veterans with dementia or serious mental illness.
-
Geri Pride: a tailored program to help older LGBTQ veterans age well
A VA-backed effort is adapting an existing health-promotion program to fit the needs of older sexual and gender minority (SGM) veterans to support healthy aging.
-
Using Montessori methods to improve care for veterans with dementia and serious mental illness
This study is all about helping veterans in community centers by teaching staff special techniques to better care for those with dementia and mental health challenges, making their daily lives more comfortable and enjoyable.
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.