Collaborative Decision Skills Training for Serious Mental Illness
(EVCC VPRRC Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

+2 other locations

Overseen byEmily Treichler, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?Over 60% of Veterans with serious mental illness have a service-connected disability that impairs their ability to work, go to school, and/or have successful personal lives. Although traditional treatments tend to focus on symptom remission, Veterans prioritize a range of treatment goals, including personal empowerment and gaining personally meaningful skills. Increasing Veteran-clinician collaboration can help effectively align care with each Veteran's goals and support an empowering therapeutic experience. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a group-based intervention intended to increase Veterans' comfort, confidence, knowledge, and skills to collaborate with their treatment teams. Findings from this study will contribute important knowledge about this intervention's effectiveness and how to enhance its effectiveness, especially for Veterans from minoritized groups. If the decision-making intervention is effective, it would help Veterans with serious mental illness, and might also help Veterans with other chronic health conditions, like PTSD and chronic pain.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Veterans with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Participants should be interested in improving collaboration with their clinicians to align care with personal goals. The study aims to empower Veterans and enhance their decision-making skills.

Inclusion Criteria

Be fluent and literate in English

Be a Veteran currently receiving PRRC, MHICM and/or BHIP services at VA San Diego, Los Angeles, or Albuquerque (e.g., seen in the clinic in the past month or based on clinic criteria)

Meet SAMHSA criteria of serious mental illness; i.e., 'having (within the past year) a diagnosable mental, behavior, or emotional disorder that causes serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities,' based on chart review and clinician consultation if needed

+2 more

Exclusion Criteria

Primary substance use or organic neurological disorder diagnosis determined by chart review

Are determined by clinician and/or study staff to be at significant risk of exacerbation of symptoms, suicidal ideation, or other risk due to study participation

Have a history and/or current risk of violence that clinicians and/or study staff determine to be too high risk to manage effectively in the study setting (e.g., poses a risk to Veterans or study staff)

Participant Groups

The trial tests a group-based intervention called 'Leveling Up' alongside 'Collaborative Decision Skills Training'. It's designed to boost Veterans' ability to work together with healthcare providers, focusing on confidence, knowledge, and skill-building for better treatment outcomes.

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Collaborative Decision Skills TrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Collaborative Decision Skills Training (CDST) is the intervention group (experimental arm).

Group II: Leveling UpActive Control1 Intervention

Leveling Up is the active control arm.