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Promoting High-Value Mental Health Care
Published Online: 16 April 2018

Envisioning Transformation in VA Mental Health Services Through Collaborative Site Visits

Lisa K. Kearney, Ph.D., A.B.P.P. [email protected], Jeanne A. Schaefer, Ph.D., Katherine M. Dollar, Ph.D., Gayle Y. Iwamasa, Ph.D., Ira Katz, M.D., Ph.D., Theresa Schmitz, Ph.D., Mary Schohn, Ph.D., and Sandra G. Resnick, Ph.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 69, Number 7
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201700534
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Abstract

This column reviews the unique contributions of multiple partners in establishing a standardized site visit process to promote quality improvement in mental health care at the Veterans Health Administration. Working as a team, leaders in policy and operations, staff of research centers, and regional- and facility-level mental health leaders developed a standardized protocol for evaluating mental health services at each site and using the data to help implement policy goals. The authors discuss the challenges experienced and lessons learned in this systemwide process and how this information can be part of a framework for improving mental health services on a national level.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
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Cover: Red Umbrella, by Milton Avery, 1945. Oil on canvas. Gift of Annalee Newman, Princeton Art Museum. Photo credit: Bruce M. White, Princeton University Art Museum/Art Resource. © The Milton Avery Trust/Artists Rights Society, New York City.

Psychiatric Services
Volume 69 • Number 7 • July 01, 2018
Pages: 744 - 747
PubMed: 29656709

History

Received: 8 December 2017
Accepted: 8 December 2017
Published online: 16 April 2018
Published in print: July 01, 2018

Keywords

  1. Veterans
  2. mental health administration
  3. quality improvement
  4. program evaluation

Authors

Details

Lisa K. Kearney, Ph.D., A.B.P.P. [email protected]
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Jeanne A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Katherine M. Dollar, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Gayle Y. Iwamasa, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Ira Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Theresa Schmitz, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Mary Schohn, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
View all articles by this author
Sandra G. Resnick, Ph.D.
Dr. Kearney and Dr. Dollar are with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Integrated Healthcare, Buffalo, New York. Dr. Kearney is also with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio. At the time of this research, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Schohn, who are now retired, were with the VA Office of Mental Health Operations, Washington, D.C. Dr. Iwamasa, Dr. Katz, Dr. Schmitz, and Dr. Resnick are with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Washington, D.C. Dr. Resnick is also with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Kearney (e-mail: [email protected]).

Funding Information

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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