Helping Families Help Veterans With PTSD and Alcohol Abuse: An RCT of VA-CRAFT (NCT01678196) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Helping Families Help Veterans With PTSD and Alcohol Abuse: An RCT of VA-CRAFT
United States66 participantsStarted 2013-05
Plain-language summary
This project begins to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based family outreach tool that is designed to promote treatment engagement among Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or alcohol use disorders (AUDs) but who have not yet engaged in mental health care. The National Center for PTSD has developed an on-line, Veteran-tailored, interactive web tool called VA - Community Reinforcement and Family Training (VA-CRAFT) that trains family members to effectively help their Veterans to engage in treatment for PTSD and/or AUDs. This project will provide preliminary information about VA-CRAFT's effectiveness.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 80 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Family participants:
* must have participated in a Readiness and Resilience in National Guards Soldiers - (RINGS) study and be a spouse, partner, or family member of a Veteran who has also participated in a RINGS study
* report frequent contact with the Veteran
* be paired with a Veteran who has not received mental health services at VA or in the community for the past 3 months and who has screened positive for PTSD or AUDs
* and have regular access to the internet.
* Veteran participants:
* must have participated in a RINGS study
* be in significant contact with a spouse/partner/family member who has enrolled in this protocol
* screened positive for PTSD and/or AUD through their responses to a RINGS survey
* and have not received mental health care (based on VA administrative data) or in the community for the past 3 months
Exclusion Criteria:
* Family members (and thus Veterans) will not be eligible for the study if they or their Veteran have reported severe levels of interpersonal violence in their relationship in the past 3 months.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Veteran Engagement in VA Mental Health Services
Timeframe: 3 months after initiation of the intervention