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Veterans Health Care

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As the largest integrated health care provider in the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs faces significant challenges in ensuring access to high quality health care for military veterans. RAND has a wealth of expertise in health policy research, which informs its analyses related to the medical care needs of military veterans and their families, as well as the care systems intended to meet them.

Essay
Therapeutic Use of Psychedelics in Treating PTSD and Depression Among Veterans
Clinical trials have shown that psychedelics can have a positive effect on mental health conditions like PTSD or depression for some people. Enthusiasm for these treatments has grown among veterans and providers who work with military populations. The VA should invest in research and provide guidance on psychedelics.
Nov 8, 2023
Content
RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute
The RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute, housed at the RAND Corporation, is dedicated to conducting innovative, interdisciplinary, evidence-based research to improve the lives of those who have served in the U.S. military.
Jul 15, 2021

Explore Veterans Health Care

Report
Repealing or Replacing ACA Would Result in More Uninsured Veterans and Stress on VA Health System
Recent congressional proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would increase the number of uninsured nonelderly veterans and further increase demand for VA health care. The effects would vary across states, but the largest impacts would be felt in states that expanded Medicaid.
Sep 13, 2017
Multimedia
Creating Better Support for Our Nation's Hidden Heroes
An overview of the testimony presented by Terri Tanielian before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on June 14, 2017.
Jun 14, 2017
Testimony
Creating Better Support for Military and Veteran Caregivers
Caregivers who provide unpaid, informal support to current and former U.S. service members are a key part of America's care for returning warriors. A new research blueprint could help improve support for these
Jun 14, 2017
Research Brief
Improving Support for America's Hidden Heroes: A Military Caregiver Research Blueprint
In this brief, RAND researchers document the construction and elements of a research blueprint to inform future efforts to improve support for military and veteran caregivers.
Jun 14, 2017
Report
Improving Support for Military and Veteran Caregivers: A Research Blueprint
Millions of Americans provide informal care and support to current and former U.S. service members. A new research blueprint could help inform efforts to improve support for these “hidden heroes.”
Jun 14, 2017
Multimedia
Preventing Veteran Suicide
An overview of testimony by Rajeev Ramchand presented before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies on April 27, 2017.
Apr 27, 2017
Testimony
Community-Based Programs Are Critical to Veteran Suicide Prevention
The VA provides high-quality mental health care. Its biggest challenge is preventing suicide among those who are not enrolled, such as veterans with other-than-honorable discharges and women. Strengthening community-based programs could prevent veteran suicide and help slow national suicide rates.
Apr 27, 2017
Report
Outcome Performance Measure Development for Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions
This report summarizes analyses to assess the reliability and validity of the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) metrics and patient-reported outcome performance measures.
Apr 12, 2017
Journal Article
Using Facebook to Recruit Young Veterans for Alcohol Interventions
Facebook can be used to reach and retain a diverse group of young veterans that could benefit from alcohol intervention efforts.
Apr 7, 2017
Tool
Supporting Veterans in Massachusetts: Interactive Data Tool and Directory of Resources
This interactive tool features data from a study of the education, employment, health care, housing, financial, and legal needs of Massachusetts veterans and can help inform investments in services and guide efforts to remedy barriers to access.
Mar 7, 2017
Report
Meditation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review
RAND researchers conducted a systematic review that synthesized evidence from trials of meditation interventions to provide estimates of their efficacy and safety in treating adults diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Feb 6, 2017
Report
Supporting the U.S. Air Force's Wounded Warriors
A high proportion of airmen injured in combat experience mental health issues. And 15 percent of those surveyed were unemployed. Recovery and reintegration are likely to take a long time. This will require ongoing program evaluation and continuous efforts to improve program offerings.
Jan 6, 2017
Content
Building a Culture of Health
RAND is supporting the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in its efforts to advance a Culture of Health, with the goal of enabling all Americans to lead healthier lives, now and for generations to come.
Nov 8, 2016
Commentary
Invisible Wounds: Closing the Gaps to More Effectively Address These Injuries
Too few of the veterans who experience mental health issues get the help they need. Even fewer get the right care. Closing these gaps will require raising awareness about the barriers to care, and changing how the mental health care system is organized and delivers services.
Sep 29, 2016
Blog
A Summer Reading List for Congress
To help Hill staffers make the most of the Congressional recess, RAND has developed a list of must-read research and commentaries that will help ensure policymakers will return ready to hit the ground running.
Aug 2, 2016
Commentary
Can a Nurse Practitioner Replace a Physician?
The VA is considering expanding the role of nurse practitioners in order to provide veterans timely access to primary care services. Research has shown that nurse practitioners working in collaborative settings can provide high-quality care.
Jul 22, 2016
News Release
Quality of Care in VA Health System Compares Well to Other Health Settings
The Veterans Affairs health care system generally performs better than or similar to other health care systems on providing safe and effective care to patients, with some exceptions.
Jul 18, 2016
Commentary
Is America's Crisis 'System' in Crisis?
The United States has made life-saving progress on crisis support for veterans. Now other suicide prevention services need help. Progress made by the VA could provide a blueprint for improving suicide prevention services for all Americans.
Jul 17, 2016
Journal Article
Association Between Quality Measures and Mortality in Individuals with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
This study suggests that the association between process-based measures of care quality and mortality in veterans with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders could be used to improve performance and reduce mortality in this population.
Jun 24, 2016
News Release
Centrally Assisted Telecare for Military Members with PTSD/Depression Shows Improved Results
Military members who visited a primary care clinic while suffering from PTSD and depression reported fewer symptoms and better mental health functioning a year after enrolling in a treatment program that included specially trained care managers and telephone therapy options.
Jun 13, 2016

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Julia Rollison

Director, Social and Behavioral Policy Program

Julia Rollison (she/her) is director, Social and Behavioral Policy Program, and a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. Her research focuses on pressing public health issues as well as health care access and quality, with emphasis on reproductive health and the health care workforce.…
Lisa V. Rubenstein

Adjunct Physician Policy Researcher

Lisa V. Rubenstein is an adjunct physician policy researcher at RAND, a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, and professor emeritus of medicine and public health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a former Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, past president of…

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