VA Office of Research and Development
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are two of the most common and debilitating mental health conditions afflicting military Veterans. PTSD and SUD frequently co-occur and are associated with poorer treatment outcomes. The investigators' team developed a trauma-focused intervention, Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), which is identified by the VA as a gold standard of behavioral healthcare and was designated as a first-line treatment in the 2025 APA Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD. However, a critical barrier to ensuring that Veterans with co-occurring PTSD/SUD receive evidence-based treatment is a lack of provider training. This project directly addresses this critical gap by developing a new web-based training program for providers (COPEWeb).
Background: PTSD is the most common mental health disorder among Veterans seeking treatment at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, and more than half of Veterans with PTSD also meet criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). To address the critical need for PTSD/SUD treatment, members of the investigative team developed Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), an evidence-based, integrated, trauma-focused treatment identified by the VA as a gold standard of behavioral healthcare. Randomized controlled trials among Veterans demonstrate COPE's effi…
Inclusion Criteria: * currently a provider in a behavioral health field (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, counseling) * English speaking * able to consistently obtain reliable internet access * willing to attend a 2-day "live" in-person (or virtual) COPE training if randomly assigned to that condition * willing to engage in a standardized patient assessment after training * has no prior formal training in the COPE therapy Exclusion Criteria: * received prior training in COPE * not a provider in the behavioral health field * non-English speaking * lack of reliable internet access
COPE training delivered via online COPEWEb to providers
COPE training provided in person to providers
Arctuva estimate
Verify or correct the compensation shown for this listing.