Virtual coordination between VA primary care and mental health services
Official title: Virtual Care Coordination in VA Primary Care-Mental Health Integration
Funded at VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System · NIH-11196747 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how Veterans who start mental health care through virtual VA visits can get same-day connection to mental health support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I21HX003593-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196747 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans who receive primary care, urgent care, or emergency care within the VA and who begin PC-MHI services—especially those who start care through virtual/telehealth visits—are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans who do not use VA telehealth, who already receive same-day in-person mental health care, or who get care outside the VA are unlikely to see direct benefits from this specific project.
What this research studies
From a Veteran's point of view, the team will look at VA care records to see why same-day handoffs to Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) happen less often after virtual visits than after in-person visits. They will compare patterns of same-day access for virtual versus in-person starts and identify factors that can be changed to improve virtual coordination. The work builds on preliminary findings at a large VA center and focuses on practical barriers to timely follow-up after virtual medical visits. Findings will be used to suggest ways to help Veterans keep getting scheduled mental health care after virtual appointments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help more Veterans get same-day mental health support after a medical visit and reduce loss to follow-up.
How similar studies have gone: Early work from this group found higher same-day access for in-person visits than for virtual ones, and this project is among the first to focus specifically on factors affecting virtual same-day PC-MHI access.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leung, Lucinda B — VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Leung, Lucinda B
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Improving virtual access to mental health care for veterans
This study is looking at how to make it easier for veterans to get mental health support right after their medical appointments using online services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, so they can get the help they need when they need it.
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.