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Published Online: 9 August 2023

Veteran Cultural Competence Training: Initial Effectiveness and National-Level Implementation

Joseph C. Geraci, Ph.D. [email protected], Emily R. Edwards, Ph.D., David May, M.A., Tiffany Halliday, M.A., Natesha Smith-Isabell, Ph.D., Paul El-Meouchy, M.A., Sarah Lowell, M.A., Nicholas Armstrong, Ph.D., Gilly Cantor, M.A., Chris DeJesus, M.A., Ariana Dichiara, Psy.D., and Marianne Goodman, M.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 75, Number 1
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202100437
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Abstract

Objective:

Because service professionals often lack cultural competence in working with veterans, veterans often perceive such professionals as “not understanding.” The authors developed, evaluated, and implemented Veteran Cultural Competence Training (VCCT), combining educational and experiential components in an in-person training focused on building awareness, knowledge, and skills to better work with veterans.

Methods:

Study 1 was a type 1 effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial examining VCCT effectiveness in a sample of social service professionals (N=41) compared with a matched comparison group (N=41) via the Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale–Veteran Form (MCSE-V) instrument. In study 2, the authors used the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to conduct a type 2 effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial and implemented VCCT with an expanded population (N=312) during eight training sessions in three U.S. states.

Results:

Results from study 1 indicated that VCCT significantly increased self-efficacy of trainees in veteran cultural competence compared with the matched group (p<0.001). In study 2, the RE-AIM framework highlighted the importance of building coalitions and utilizing implementation facilitation to maintain fidelity. The within-group effectiveness of VCCT was statistically significant and maintained across settings and professions (p<0.001), and trainees were satisfied with VCCT. Maintenance analysis revealed expansion of VCCT after implementation in terms of the number of training sessions (N=9), regions hosting the training (N=5), staff hired (N=13), and trainee applications (N=1,018).

Conclusions:

VCCT effectively increases self-efficacy in veteran cultural competence. Gains appeared across different professions, demographic characteristics, and locations. Participation in VCCT may increase professionals’ competence in understanding veteran culture, thereby potentially improving veteran services.

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Supplementary Material

File (appi.ps.202100437.ds001.pdf)

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Volume 75 • Number 1 • January 01, 2024
Pages: 32 - 39
PubMed: 37554004

History

Received: 21 July 2021
Revision received: 6 April 2023
Accepted: 17 April 2023
Published online: 9 August 2023
Published in print: January 01, 2024

Keywords

  1. Military veterans
  2. Veteran cultural self-efficacy
  3. Competence training
  4. Continuing education
  5. Cultural competence
  6. Veterans’ issues

Authors

Affiliations

Joseph C. Geraci, Ph.D. [email protected]
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Emily R. Edwards, Ph.D.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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David May, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Tiffany Halliday, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Natesha Smith-Isabell, Ph.D.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Paul El-Meouchy, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Sarah Lowell, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Nicholas Armstrong, Ph.D.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Gilly Cantor, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Chris DeJesus, M.A.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Ariana Dichiara, Psy.D.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Marianne Goodman, M.D.
Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 2, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York City (Geraci, Edwards, May, Halliday, Smith-Isabell, Dichiara, Goodman); Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, VISN 17, Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Waco, Texas (Geraci, Goodman); Resilience Center for Veterans & Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (May, Halliday); Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, California (El-Meouchy, Lowell); Institute for Veterans & Military Families, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Armstrong, Cantor); Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York (DeJesus).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Geraci ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

Dr. Goodman is a consultant for Boehringer Ingelheim. The other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

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