# Impact of Combined Recovery Program and Home Telehealth Among Veterans with substance use disorders in the VA Inpatient Setting

> **NIH VA I01** · RALPH H JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Justification: High inpatient readmissions among Veterans with SUDs constitutes a costly and persistent
healthcare problem. VHA Handbook 1160.06 guides the development and implementation of recovery-oriented
mental health (MH) services, although significant service gaps remain on VA inpatient settings. ‘Combined
Recovery Program (CRP)’ is designed to address these gaps by enhancing stabilization of Veterans with SUDs
beyond hospital discharge and consists of ‘Group Motivational Interviewing’, an adaptation of motivational
interviewing; and ‘Life Skills for Housing Maintenance’, involving skills training for enhancing housing stability.
To be added to CRP, Stable & Able (S&A) is a VA Home Telehealth (HT) nurse-monitored program providing
assessment and self-management skills in the post-hospitalization phase.
Gaps Addressed: This proposal addresses VA research priorities: access to care and MH, benefitting Veterans
with SUDs. A significant proportion of these Veterans exhibit homelessness and suicidality. Study objectives
address SAIL MH Composite measures ‘PDE1’ to increase Post-Discharge Treatment Engagement in MH care;
and ‘HRF7’ to increase care processes for Veterans at high risk for suicide. During the COVID-19 pandemic,
telehealth solutions offer safe treatment options as well as reduce isolation.
Innovativeness: This proposal is consistent with 2018 MISSION Act in priority areas: mental illness, SUD, and
housing instability via a technology-enabled format and through addressing gaps in the current inpatient recovery
model involving limited availability of staff training in and availability of recovery-oriented services. CRP and S&A
present innovative/novel interventions ready for deployment. Both CRP and S&A were designed specifically to
assist high risk Veterans with SUDs to remain stably housed. S&A is conveniently provided via App using an
iPad, cell phone, or the Medtronic Commander Flex and allows 3 mos. of daily monitoring by trained HT staff.
Specific Aim I: Assess the relative effects of Treatment Engagement and Substance Use [and SUD-related
problems] between CRP+S&A vs. CRP and CRP+S&A vs. TAU by 3-mos follow-up.
Primary Hypothesis 1a: Treatment Engagement: Participants in CRP + S&A will attend more outpatient SUD
treatment sessions and general MH treatment sessions compared to participants in CRP and to TAU.
Primary Hypothesis 1b: Substance Use: Participants in CRP + S&A will lower quantity and frequency of
substance use and SUD-related problems compared to participants in CRP and to TAU.
 Secondary Hypothesis 1c: Preventable Services: Participants in CRP + S&A will reduce Preventable
 Healthcare Services (hospital readmissions and ED visits) compared to participants in CRP and to TAU.
 Secondary Hypothesis 1d: Participants in CRP + S&A will report Greater QoL; # of Days Living in Stable
 Housing; and # of Days Engaging in Community Events and/or Activities compared to CRP and to TAU.
Specific Aim II: Conduct Veteran participant...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10491783
- **Project number:** 5I01HX003104-02
- **Recipient organization:** RALPH H JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** ELIZABETH J SANTA ANA
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-10-01 → 2025-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10491783

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10491783, Impact of Combined Recovery Program and Home Telehealth Among Veterans with substance use disorders in the VA Inpatient Setting (5I01HX003104-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10491783. Licensed CC0.

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