Rush University Medical Center & Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation
Rush University Medical Center
Veterans are committed to helping each other overcome challenges. We’re committed to giving them the resources they need to not only improve their health, but also that of their comrades. We're helping vets build, engage and prevail.
Need
Through its Mental Health and Well-Being Initiative, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, provided funding to Rush University Medical Center to conduct a trial on whether online cognitive behavioral therapy intervention could effectively address the dire health needs of veterans. Based on the results of the three-year study, Vets Prevail was born.
Project
U.S military veterans redeployed within less than five years were eligible to participate in the study. Rush University enrolled 300 veterans, 150 were in the Vets Prevail program, and the other 150 followed a "prevention as usual" route. They were followed over eight months to assess outcomes on depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, functional status and care-seeking behavior.
Developed and supported by Prevail Health Solutions, the online mental health therapy program helps veterans combat the challenges from depression and PTSD. Using the therapy, veterans work through interactive online modules that tailor the care to their responses. Veterans also can enter monitored peer chat rooms, and peers are also online for motivation, encouragement and aiding the referral process.
Results
The program concluded in December 2014. An efficacy evaluation showed that the PTSD and depression symptoms were significantly reduced for veterans in the Vets Prevail program. The study also found that Vets Prevail is highly cost-effective and can be delivered for less than 0.5% of the cost of face-to-face interventions, with costs decreasing with increased scale.
Vets Prevail has been adopted by the U.S. Veterans Administration and integrated into its ongoing efforts to combat mental health issues in returning soldiers.
Project Leader
Richard Gengler, richard@prevailhs.com
Principal Investigator
Stevan Hobfoll, Stevan_Hobfoll@rush.edu
Partners
- Rush University Medical Center
- Prevail Health Solutions