Developing a Telehealth Model to Improve Treatment Access for Rural Veterans With Substance Use Disorders

NCT05348317 | Active Not Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: CDX 22-007PROJ-03672
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 25
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project will pilot-test and obtain stakeholder input on a telehealth-delivered substance use disorder (SUD) care model (with initial engagement and ongoing MI-CBT treatment) with the goal of increasing treatment utilization and improving outcomes for rural and non-rural Veterans with SUDs.

Conditions

Substance Use; Substance Use Disorders; Substance Dependence; Veterans

Keywords

Telehealth; Motivational Interviewing; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Rural Health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Feasibility of the intervention (engagement)

  Percent (%) of participants engaging in the intervention (at least 3 completed sessions)

  8 weeks

• Acceptability of the telehealth intervention

  Study-specific acceptability rating completed by participants (% with a positive rating, higher % is better)

  2 months

Other Outcomes (2)

• Change in substance consumption

  baseline, 8 weeks post-baseline

• Change in frequency of substance use as reported on the Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB)

  baseline, 8 weeks post-baseline

Study Arms (1)

MI-CBT Teletx

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention consists of an initial 30-60 min phone-delivered Engagement session that focuses on MI to help participants build self-efficacy and motivation to engage and to empower them to plan change and use Elicit-Provide-Elicit (EPE) to address treatment barriers (e.g., stigma, appeal, accessibility). Participants will then complete up to 8 \~50 minute Teletx weekly sessions via videoconference (or phone if needed). The intervention is highly patient-centered, by meeting and assessing patients where they are including in their unique context (i.e. rural community), helping them identify reasons and motivations for change, and centered around their goals (e.g. substance use reduction or abstinence).

Behavioral: VetReach

Interventions

VetReach BEHAVIORAL

Telehealth-delivered MI-CBT substance use disorder care model

MI-CBT Teletx

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Veteran patients at the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) SUD diagnosis and/or substance use on average of 2 days a week over the past month
• Telephone access
• Able to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Receiving SUD psychotherapy
• Inability to speak or understand English
• Substantial mental health instability or conditions that preclude informed consent (e.g., acute psychosis, cognitive deficits) or understanding of assessment or program content
• Prior alcohol withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development: lead
• VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105-2303, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Substance-Related Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Lewei Lin, MD

  VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 21, 2022
• First Posted: April 27, 2022
• Study Start: May 19, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Last Updated: August 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)