Veterans’ Intensive​ PCMHI Boot Camp​ (VIP Boot Camp)

We would be honored to present our program, Veterans Intensive Primary Care Mental Health Integration Bootcamp (VIP Bootcamp) with some initial pilot data at your conference. VIP Bootcamp was created as an upstream solution to Mental Health(MH) access issues within the VA system and to provide a direct referrals system for primary care providers and their team (PCMHI: Primary Care Mental Health Integration) to a comprehensive, transdiagnostic, evidenced based program that helps empower veterans- using their language and methods that similar to their military training -to learn to be active and educated consumers in their medical and MH treatment. 80% of veterans in PCMHI have more than one presenting problem. However, current PCMHI evidence-based treatment models focus on single diagnosis/single issue. Consequently, Veterans who could be treated in a short term therapy group model like bootcamp are referred to the mental health clinic where they have to wait for an intake and treatment. This also creates a wait for veterans who need more intensive MH treatment in the MHC. In addition, despite the additional benefits a group brings to these higher functioning veterans and their peers, there are few group options in PCMHI. VIP BOOTCAMP is a program we created to solve these issues. It is three 4 week modules with focus on chronic pain , sleep and rewiring the brain for anxiety and mood issues -Veterans can attend, 1,2 or all 3 modules. We are now rolling out to our 4th VA hospital, with exciting pilot data to present.