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Rapid Treatment for PTSD in Acute Care Settings
Share PrintIt is challenging for VAs to provide evidence-based, recovery-oriented care to Veterans with PTSD while they are hospitalized on an acute inpatient mental health unit. This is due to the time intensive nature of traditional frontline psychotherapies and the short duration of inpatient mental health hospitalizations. Rather than compromise the quality of care, this innovative project offers a rapid and effective solution that increases Veteran access to evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD in such settings.
Origin:
May 2023, New Orleans VA Medical Center
Adoptions:
1 successful, 2 in-progress
Awards and Recognition:
New Orleans VA 2023 Performance Improvement Project 1st Place
Recent Updates
Overview
Problem
Solution
Images
Written Exposure Therapy
Results
-Massed WET was also highly feasible to implement and tolerable to patients, as evidenced by high recruitment and retention rates (i.e., 75% of eligible Veterans initiating t ... -Veterans that received massed WET experienced significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms, as well as the functional impairment due to these symptoms (see Figures below).
-Massed WET was also highly feasible to implement and tolerable to patients, as evidenced by high recruitment and retention rates (i.e., 75% of eligible Veterans initiating treatment and 83.3% of Veterans completing treatment).
-Quantitative (i.e., mean satisfaction scores) and qualitative (i.e., written feedback) data further indicated that Veterans were highly satisfied with massed WET (see selected quotes below).
-Notably, 73% of Veterans had not previously engaged in an EBP for PTSD, suggesting that massed WET reached a unique patient population that may not otherwise have access to or the ability to engage in this level of care.
-The findings from this project were published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress – the premier international journal for professionals who study and treat individuals exposed to traumatic events. See more
Images
Changes in PTSD Symptoms
Changes in Depression Symptoms
Changes in Functional Impairment
Direct Veteran Feedback
- Massed Written Exposure Therapy Publication Ennis et al. 2024
Files
Metrics
- Create immediate access to evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD while Veterans are hospitalized on acute mental health units
- Provide rapid PTSD and depression symptom reduction, as well as decrease functional impairment related to these conditions
- Increase downstream access to PTSD treatments for other Veterans in outpatient settings (i.e., 1 Veteran being successfully treated on an acute mental health unit opens up an average of 5 - 20 outpatient PTSD psychotherapy sessions)
- Reduce risk by engaging Veterans in treatments that lead to symptom reduction while on mental health inpatient units
- Reduce healthcare utilization and costs (e.g., mental health and non mental health outpatient care, pharmacy services, emergency service use, and inpatient hospitalizations)
Diffusion tracker
Does not include Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH)
Multimedia
Images
WET Project Team
Videos
VHA Shark Tank Pitch
Implementation
Timeline
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Month 1
-Engage local stakeholder/leadership team-Identify barriers and facilitators to massed WET implementation-Develop a training plan -
Months 2-3
-Train new/existing inpatient mental health provider(s) in assessment of PTSD and massed WET protocol-Establish a patient referral process with inpatient team-Identify designated space for treatment -
Months 3-6
-Disseminate massed WET to Veterans-Refine referral process with inpatient team-Provide ongoing psychotherapy case consultation to provider(s)-Monitor success, including rates of referral, completion, and symptom reduction
Departments
- Mental health care
- Social work
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- PTSD treatment
Core Resources
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Contact
Comment
Comments and replies are disabled for retired innovations and non-VA users.
Email chelsea.ennis@va.gov with questions about this innovation.
About
Original team
Chelsea Ennis, PhD
Clinical Psychologist, PTSD Team Lead
Amanda Raines, PhD
Clinician Investigator
Joseph Boffa, PhD
Clinician Investigator
Mary Shapiro, PhD
Clinician Investigator
Allison Dornbach-Bender, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Mara Ferrie, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Alana Fondren, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Desirae Vidaurri, PhD
Deputy Chief, Psychology Service
Jessica Walton, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Laurel Franklin Harlin, PhD
Chief, Psychology Service
Jessica Chambliss, MS
Research Coordinator
Where can I download the WET manual?
Hi there, there is a TMS training where you can download the manual - Written Exposure Therapy for PTSD: A Brief Treatment Approach for Mental Health Professionals Manual (TMS #131007594)