Mental Health Link for Depression in Veterans
(MHL Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Overview:
Depression is common among Veterans. About 1 in 6 Veterans experiences depression at any given time, and about half may experience it during their lifetime. Without treatment, depression can contribute to substance use, poor health, suicide, and early death. However, many people delay or do not receive treatment. Fewer than one-third of Veterans with depression use psychotherapy. Although the VA is working to improve access to mental health care, staffing shortages can lead to long wait times. These waiting periods may provide an opportunity to support Veterans and help them prepare for treatment.
Mental Health Link:
The research team developed Mental Health Link (MHL), a text-based process that supports Veterans while they wait for mental health services. MHL helps patients better understand their emotions and symptoms and offers simple coping strategies they can use right away while waiting.
Study Goals:
The study will examine whether MHL helps Veterans during the wait period and with treatment engagement. The study will also ask Veterans and providers about what helps or prevents MHL from being used in routine care.
Study Design:
Over five years, the study will compare MHL with usual care at three VA sites. It will include 192 Veterans referred to psychotherapy for depression. The results will show whether MHL improves participation in treatment and helps Veterans while they wait for services.
In the future, these findings may help the VA expand MHL and other effective mental health and suicide-prevention services.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Vanessa Panaite, PhD
Principal Investigator
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for Veterans who have been referred to psychotherapy for depression at VA sites. Participants should be waiting for mental health services and willing to use a text-based support tool while they wait.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Mental Health Link
Trial Overview
The study tests Mental Health Link, a text-message program that supports Veterans with coping strategies and emotional understanding while they wait for mental health care. It compares this approach to usual care over five years at three VA locations.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants receive the fully automated MHL intervention through VA Qualtrics while awaiting their first specialty mental health appointment. Following the baseline survey, a welcome text activates twice-weekly check-ins and twice-weekly support messages until two days before the appointment. Check-ins collect patient-generated feedback on mood, PHQ-8 symptoms, daily event appraisals, emotions, and emotion intensity. Participants may skip any task. Support messages provide practical coping strategies. PHQ-8 scores ≥15 or heightened negative emotions trigger automated messages with contact information for the participant's existing care providers, the Veterans Crisis Line (call, chat, or text), and 911. At completion, a data manager prepares a summary of check-in data, uploads it to the medical chart, and alerts the participant's providers.
Veterans assigned to this control arm receive usual care while awaiting their initial specialty mental health appointment. They may passively wait or receive psychiatric care or brief supportive psychotherapy through primary care. Half of the Veterans randomized to usual care will be invited to join an observational study examining their experiences with and use of mental health services. These participants will complete baseline and exit surveys to improve prediction and understanding of treatment initiation and utilization, because medical chart data alone have not produced robust predictive models. All study procedures are conducted for research purposes only, although the procedures and measures are similar to those used in standard mental health care.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
VA Office of Research and Development
Lead Sponsor
Tampa VA Healthcare System
Collaborator
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Collaborator
Unbiased Results
We believe in providing patients with all the options.
Your Data Stays Your Data
We only share your information with the clinical trials you're trying to access.
Verified Trials Only
All of our trials are run by licensed doctors, researchers, and healthcare companies.