February 7, 2014

Despite years of attention in the media and from senior VA and DoD leaders, PTSD and depression among veterans and servicemembers remains a serious problem. DoD and the VA have gone to great lengths to combat and de-stigmatize these issues, but despite important efforts, research continues to demonstrate that many prefer to seek help from civilian providers.   

Therefore, civilian mental health providers are an increasingly important part of the overall behavioral health workforce addressing veterans’ mental health needs.  

MOAA is partnering with the United Health Foundation and RAND Corporation to conduct a survey of civilian behavioral health providers to gather information about their knowledge, attitudes, and preferences for delivering services to veterans and their families.   

A web-based survey will be launched this spring among a diverse group of community based behavioral health providers across the nation.   

A final report will be completed by December 2014. The findings from this study have the potential to aid the development and implementation of additional training in military and veteran cultural awareness and evidence-based care for PTSD and depression for military veterans and their families.