Mental Health
Mental health is a broad term encompassing multiple mental, emotional, or behavioral conditions. Mental health conditions can include anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, personality disorders, or more serious psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. According to a 2023 VA report, 31 percent of Veterans using VA healthcare had a confirmed mental health diagnosis.
HSR’s areas of mental health research include access, risk factors, prevention, the effectiveness of interventions, and implementation strategies. Research is collaborative and decentralized, conducted throughout the VA health care system and at several Centers of Innovation (COINs). The Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research (CeMHOR) at the North Little Rock, Arkansas VA is specifically focused on mental health. More specialized research (for example, on substance use disorder, or the cost-effectiveness of mental health care) is coordinated among VA’s Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (MIRECCs) and Centers of Excellence.
Each section below is populated by a search of the HSR website. Search results are generated based on the search term "Mental Health" . Results are updated as new data are available.
VIEW: Citations | Publication Briefs | Studies | HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters | Cyberseminars | Videos | Podcasts | Other Resources
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Citations
(recent MENTAL HEALTH publications)
- Riggs KR, deRussy AJ, Hoge AE, Jones AL, Shufflebarger EF, Richman JS, Montgomery AE, Gelberg L, Varley AL, Gordon AJ, Kertesz SG. Primary Care Continuity and Utilization Patterns for Veterans With Homeless Experience. JAMA Network Open. 2026 Feb 2; 9(2):e2557754, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.57754.
- Rodriguez A, Fenwick KM, Borsky AE, Frayne SM, Hamilton AB, Yano EM. Results of a Multistep Approach to Setting Research Priorities to Improve Women Veterans' Health: Updated VA Women's Health Research Agenda. Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. 2026 Jan 16 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2025.12.004.
- Ranney RM, Cohen BE, Shen H, Hoggatt KJ, Maguen S. Social determinants of health associated with receipt of psychotherapy for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of psychiatric research. 2026 Jan 3; 194:188-195, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.003.
- Corry DT, Sadler AG, Mengeling MA, Cook BL, Smith JL, Hamilton AB, Platt JM, Torner JC. Pandemic Stress and Mediation of Depression Symptoms After Traumatic Brain Injury in Women Veterans: A Cross-Sectional Study. Military medicine. 2026 Jan 1; 191(1-2):e310-e318, DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usaf391.
- Elnaggar A, Hoffmann TJ, Whooley MA, Szuba R, Park LG. The association of social support with functional status and physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease from The Heart and Soul study. BMC cardiovascular disorders. 2025 Dec 30; 25(1):903, DOI: 10.1186/s12872-025-05338-8.
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Publication Briefs
(recent MENTAL HEALTH Publication Briefs )
- Moral Injury is Independently—and Significantly—Associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Veterans
Using the Moral Injury and Distress Scale (MIDS), this study investigated the connection between moral injury—the distressing psychological, behavioral, social, and sometimes spiritual aftermath of witnessing, failing to prevent, or participating in events that contradict one’s values and beliefs—and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Findings showed that overall, 6% of the sample screened positive ...
Date: August 1, 2025
- Younger Veterans with Mental Health Conditions, and Older Veterans with Physical Health Conditions, at High Risk of Suicide Attempt or Self-Directed Violence After COVID-19 Infection
In this study, researchers used the electronic health records of Veterans with a first case of COVID-19 infection between May 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022, to identify subgroups of Veterans with high risk of post-COVID-19 suicide attempts or other self-directed violence (SDV). Findings showed that within 12 months after infection, 2,106 Veterans had suicide attempts or other SDV events (74 per 10,0...
Date: March 4, 2025
- Virtual Mental Health Services Reduce Suicide-Related Events Among Veterans
This study evaluated whether virtual mental health service use affects the risk of individual-level suicide-related events (SREs). Findings showed that a 1% increase in the percentage of virtual mental health visits relative to total visits was associated with a nearly 3% decrease in SREs among Veterans. In this sample, virtual mental health visits comprised 45% of all mental health visits. Findin...
Date: November 5, 2024
- VA’s Telehealth Program for Bipolar Disorders Is Associated with Improved Symptoms, Suicide Risk, Quality of Life, and Prescription Quality
This study examined VA clinical, administrative, and survey data to evaluate outcomes (including symptoms, mood episodes, positive suicide screens, and mental health-related quality of life) for Veterans who were referred to the Bipolar Disorders Telehealth (BDTH) program from 2011 to 2021. Findings showed that Veterans who completed the program reported reductions in manic and depressive symptoms...
Date: October 18, 2024
- Caring Letters Not Associated with Suicide Attempts Following Veterans Crisis Line Contact, But Are Associated with Higher Probability of VA Mental Healthcare Use
This study examined the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) Caring Letters intervention and determined whether there were differences in outcomes by signatory. Findings showed that Caring Letters were not associated with suicide attempts following VCL contact, but were associated with higher probability of VHA outpatient and inpatient mental healthcare use. There was no association amo...
Date: April 29, 2024
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Studies
(recent MENTAL HEALTH projects
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| Project No. |
Title |
PI |
Funding End |
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HSR5-008-24W
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Improving the perinatal mental health of Veterans with serious mental illness through peer support |
Goodsmith, Nichole |
2030-12-31 |
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HSR1-011-24W
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Precision Medicine for Gulf War Veterans: Integrating Pharmacogenetic Testing into Clinical Practice |
Lipsky, Rachele |
2030-12-31 |
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CDA 23-054
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Recovery-oriented group therapy for Veteran men with military sexual trauma |
Yahalom, Jonathan |
2029-12-31 |
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CDA 22-197
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VA's virtual care initiatives and suicide prevention |
Gujral, Kritee |
2029-09-30 |
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RCS 17-153
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RCS |
Fortney, John |
2029-09-30 |
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HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters
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