Annual Report on Service Hours and Outreach

2015-2016

Annual Report

Office of Research

Sonia Suri, Ph.D.

Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist

This report is a result of the collaborative efforts of the following:

Ben Wells, Jessica Price, Courtney Langenbahn, Anneke Johnson, and Adam Freed

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-3

INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

SECTION I: STAFF AND STUDENT VETERAN OUTREACH RESULTS -------------------------------------------------- 5-6

Outreach Activities by Location -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-6

Spring Fling Women Veteran and Outreach Events ------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

SECTION II: GROWTH OF THE WILLIAM JAMES COLLEGE MILITARY AND VETERAN COMMUNITY ------- 7

Enrollment of Veterans and Dependents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6-7

SECTION III: CLINICAL SERVICES OFFERED BY WJC STUDENTS ----------------------------------------------------- 8-12

Clinical Services Offered to Veterans and Military Members ----------------------------------------------------- 8-9

Age of Client Served --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Gender of Client Served ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

Sexual Orientation of Client Served -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Ethnicity of Client Served --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Disability of Client Served -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

SECTION IV: ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED OF VETERAN-FOCUSED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ---- 12-14

Section Sponsor State-Wide Training Conferences for Mental Health Providers----------------------------------- 12

Overall Rating of Conference Experience ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

Student Veteran Panel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13-14

SECTION V: RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY STUDENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------ 14-16

Premature Termination in Trauma-Focused Treatment from the Perspective of Military Veterans------ 15

Role and Identity Adjustment and the Experience of Liminality in Veterans Seeking Higher Education- 15

Gap Analysis of Mental Health and Other Support Services --------------------------------------------------- 15-16

SECTION VI: GOALS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16

SECTION VII: CONCLUSION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17-18

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Executive Summary

Students are recruited for the Train Vets to Treat Vets Program (TVTV) from the Military Veteran Psychology

Program (MVP) based on academic scholarship, community engagement and leadership potential. The

program operates under the direction of Dr. Sonia Suri, who supervises, trains and mentors the students

within the TVTV cohort. As part of the programs continued development steps have been taken to formalize

operations as to ensure program efficiency and clarity given the differing schedules and commitments within

the cohort. The 2015-2016 TVTV coordinators, Hillary Scudder and Adam Freed, developed a charter and

expanded the coordinator position to two positions, ideally filled by a third and fourth year student. The

addition of a second coordinator position was to assist in distributing the workload, and preventing the

students’ academic achievements being negatively impacted by the additional demands of their involvement

in the TVTV Program. Due to the small size of the 2016-2017 cohort the program coordinator positions are

both staffed by fourth year students. The role of the program coordinators is intended to assist students in

developing advanced leadership experience, and in developing additional skills to become leaders not only in

the field of mental health, but to provide the necessary tools to assist in other areas such as program

evaluation and development, grant writing, education, and to assist in preparing them for American

Psychological Association (APA) Internships.

The TVTV program itself is designed in part to encourage the development of leadership skills and practical

skills in the areas of data collection, analysis, research, critical policy work, program evaluation and

development, and allow for the grooming of future leaders within the mental health field. As part of their

education students within the MVP program completed Doc Projects focusing on topics addressing the needs

of veterans and service members. Within the TVTV program projects were completed by Hillary Scudder,

Premature Termination in Trauma-Focused Treatment from the Perspective of Military Veterans, and Molly

Sullivan, Role and Identity Adjustment and the Experience of Liminality in Veterans Seeking Higher Education: A

Qualitative Investigation.

The performance of the TVTV and MVP programs has far exceeded the grant recommendations in the two

major areas of provisions, direct clinical service and direct contact with potential future student veterans of

mental health. Twenty-one students provided 25,905 hours of direct mental health and support services to

veterans, service members, and their families in thirteen different settings. Hours provided exceeded the grant

target of 2,500 by more than ten times that amount. Provided services included: individual therapy, group

therapy, family therapy, and psychological testing. Eleven students provided services in the greater Boston

area, while an additional six students provided direct service hours through their full-time APA internships at

military and veteran’s facilities throughout the country. Students within the TVTV program discussed the

importance of veterans’ mental health and career opportunities in the mental health field with at least 195

veterans in a variety of settings. A contact number of over three times the grant recommendation of 50

veterans. The range of outreach events included: service fairs, campus events, and conventions, as well as

training conferences and a women veteran’s event hosted by WJC. Students and faculty are also active in

research including state-funded projects, and independent student doc projects.

The TVTV program serves as the Research and Evaluation arm of WJC’s MVP Initiative. This initiative,

developed under the leadership of Dr. Robert Dingman, is an umbrella of efforts to train culturally competent

mental health professionals to provide services to military service members and veterans (SM/Vets) and

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families. The MVP requires students to complete academic courses (Meeting the Needs of Returning Veterans

and Systems; Military Families and the Cycle of Deployment; Trauma and the Military; Substance Abuse and

Addiction in the Military). The program also offers statewide training conferences for mental health (MH)

professionals to expand awareness of SM/Vets’ and their families MH needs. This program was developed

because we realized that in order to help veterans and civilian students be effectively trained in working with

veterans, service members and their families. The MVP Emphasis includes academic, experiential, research,

and hands-on components designed for students who intend to develop a professional focus with military and

veteran communities in active-duty contexts, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense

(DOD) venues, and community mental health settings. MVP field training, community service, research, and

classroom experiences are specifically intended to give students—many military veterans themselves—

heightened sensitivity to the needs and challenges of working with service members, veterans, and their

families. MVP students will learn the therapeutic skills necessary to be effective, and will develop the

psychological maturity required, to be fully responsive to both the strengths and vulnerabilities of these at-risk

and often traumatized groups.

Students from either the clinical or counseling programs, whether they be veterans or not, may pursue the

MVP area of emphasis in its entirety. All WJC students, regardless of program, are eligible to enroll in the

specialized courses described in this proposal, provided they have fulfilled coursework prerequisites. Under

the leadership of Dr. Robert Dingman the number of both veteran and civilian students within the MVP

Program has continued to grow each year. Additionally, at his request, over the last year the TVTV program has

evaluated the courses within the MVP concentration with the intention of updating them.

Last fall, WJC hired an Associate Director of Military and Veteran Affairs, Travis Bickford, former Army Sergeant

and combat veteran, who assists in the development of military and veteran programming. His work includes:

developing Field Education placement sites, building community engagement, and professional and personal

development for the WJC military and veterans community. During the 2015-2016 academic year Mr. Bickford

redesigned the MVP service learning component in order to bring more structure and create additional

opportunities for students to interface with veterans, and developed the first in depth strategic plan for MVP to

be implemented starting Fall, 2016. He has also developed an outreach webinar with the communications team

with the purpose of educating veterans on the field of mental health as an opportunity for future employment.

Further, he worked with our development office to obtain a $10,000 grant to create a retention program that

includes an extended orientation to forge a stronger community of student veterans. In addition to preemptive

academic focused workshops this program will also track students throughout the academic year. Travis also

facilitated the established a summer fellowship position. Lastly, due to Mr. Bickford’s engagement with students

he was able to facilitate the re-enrollment of a former veteran student.

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Introduction

William James College (WJC), is a non-profit organization dedicated to higher learning and community service,

with a significant emphasis placed on service-learning and social responsibility. The objective has been to

develop educational programs that address the growing need for specialized mental health care for veterans

and service members. The Train Vets to Treat Vets Program (TVTV) objectives are:

1. Communicate with student veterans, provide information about the mental health needs of veterans

returning from deployment, and to urge them to consider careers in mental health.

2. Train student veterans to become clinicians effective in working with veteran populations.

3. Assist the MA Department of Veterans Services (DVS) in assessing the capabilities of veteran-focused

mental health providers.

4. Sponsor state-wide training conferences for mental health providers.

5. Sponsor a specialized outreach for women veterans and their families to provide them with

information about their mental health needs; help link them to resources and support networks.

6. Advance student research and scholarship to better understand the needs of mental health and

human service needs of Veterans and their families.

This report provides an update on the progress of the TVTV program in meeting these objectives during the

2015-2016 academic year.

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Section I: Staff and Student Veteran Outreach Results

Our outreach strategy was revised to target high profile organizations that serve veterans, with the intention

to include more colleges and universities during the 2016-2017 academic year. During the 2015-2016 academic

year, our student veterans and staff of the Military & Veterans Psychology concentration (MVP) and TVTV

program conducted outreach at the following events and locations.

1. Outreach Activities by Location

As indicated in Table 1, over half of outreach activities (53%) were conducted at institutions of higher learning

in the greater Boston area. Of all the sites, outreach to the Newton Veterans Service Center was the most

successful with 42 individuals contacted.

Table 1: Outreach Activities Conducted by MVP/TVTV

LOCATION

EVENT NAME

NUMBER OF VETERANS ENGAGED

Suffolk University Careers in Mental Health for Veterans 19

Northeastern University IMVF Seminar 37

Newton Veterans Service Center

February Veterans Center Meeting 42

Bay State College Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative 36

Jewish Family & Children Services

Open House 22

William James College Spring Fling Women’s Veterans Event 12

Homes for Our Troops Taunton Understanding and Helping Veterans:

Supporting Ourselves in Our Work

18

Individual Outreach Various 9

Total 195

2. Homes for Our Troops (HFOT)

Home for Our Troops was a service learning event for the staff at the HFOT office in Taunton, MA. This training

was sponsored by the MVP program at WJC and presented by Dr. Richard Amodio, Ph.D. Dr. Amodio is the

Director of Training for clinical psychology at the Bedford VA. The purpose of the presentation was to support

the staff at HFOT with their daily interactions with the Veterans they serve. During this event, 18 HFOT staff

members were engaged, two thirds of whom indicated that they would make changes to their practice as a

result.

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Additionally, WJC produced a resource plan for Home for Our Troops. Prepared by Jessica Bruckert and Adam

Freed, the HFOT resource plan profiled 15 states and their respective resources for veterans. Each state was

classified by the number of behavioral health professionals with specialized training in understanding and

treating military service members and their families. The providers in each state were identified in the

resource plan with the purpose of outlining methods to build a behavioral health data base for veterans.

Challenges were also highlighted for states that low concentrations of qualified mental health providers, or

minimal veteran-specific training through the respective psychological association for that state.

3. Spring Fling Women Veterans Outreach Event

This was the 3rd Annual Women Veterans and Family Fair sponsored by the TVTV program of WJC and the

Massachusetts DVS. The Women’s Outreach was first developed by Jenny D’Olympia with the guidance and

support of Dr. Sonia Suri. The event was designed to meet the unique needs of female veterans. Specifically,

the setting makes allowances for the difficulties of obtaining child care which often precludes individuals from

attending such an event. As in previous years, the objective of this event was to honor women veterans, give

women veterans and their families the opportunity to connect with the veteran and military community in

Massachusetts, and to offer a safe space for this connection and communication to happen. In addition to

providing a series of engaging activities, the event was structured to help women veterans learn about

statewide resources available to them, including William James College as a mental health resource. The event

was attended by 12 women veterans and eight children. Faculty, staff, and volunteers were asked for feedback

at the conclusion of the event. Organizers received many positive remarks regarding the welcoming and

comfortable atmosphere of the event. During the event several female veterans were observed speaking

openly to volunteers about their experiences, as well as accessing services through the veteran’s organizations

in attendance. Event activities included arts & crafts, massage, yoga, board games, therapy dogs, and group

discussion.

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Section II: Growth of the William James College Military and Veteran

Community

As the primary provider of military and veteran-focused graduate level psychological education in the greater

Boston area, the MVP program at WJC has grown rapidly through the veteran outreach conducted by the TVTV

students.

1. Enrollment of Veterans and Dependents

At the conclusion of the 2015-2016 academic year, 28 veterans were enrolled in programs at WJC, including 17

in the clinical psychology doctoral program. An additional eight veteran students are expected to matriculate

at WJC in the 2016-2017 academic year. This represents a steady increase in the number of veteran students

training in psychology since the creation of the TVTV program in 2011. See Table 2 below for a detailed

breakdown of veteran enrollment.

Table 2: Veterans/Dependents by Degree

WJC Breakdown of Veterans/Dependents by Degree

Current Students Incoming Students Total Veterans Dependents Veterans Dependents Veterans Dependents

PsyD 17 2 6 0 23 2 Counseling 6 0 3 0 7 0

Community Mental Health

0 0 0 0 0 0

Org MA-Blended 0 0 1 0 0 0

Leadership PsyD 2 0 2 0 2 0 Forensic 0 0 0 0 1 0

Org-MA-Online 0 0 0 0 0 0 School MA/CAGS 2 1 0 0 2 1

Executive Coaching 1 0 0 0 1 0 Total 28 3 12 0 40 3

2. Program Highlights

Since its inception the TVTV and MVP programs have striven to support student veterans as they navigate the

process of achieving their educational goals and developing into competent clinicians. The following is an

excerpt from an article published by WJC which highlights one of the first graduates from the TVTV program.

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“David Heilman, M.A., a Marine Corps Veteran with two Iraq tours as an Infantry Squad Leader, is recent WJC graduate in Counseling Psychology. Reflecting after a year as a professional counselor serving Combat Veterans at a local Vet Center, David gives insight into the often challenging road for Veterans securing meaningful employment, and sums up his experience at WJC:

The education I received at WJC provided me not only with the knowledge I needed in this professional field, but also the internship opportunities that allowed me to work directly with Veterans, placing me in the best position possible to gain the experience I would need to get a job with Veteran Affairs. I was hired by a Vet Center in Massachusetts and began working a month before I graduated. The VA Vet Centers have put a priority on hiring Veterans with the proper training to be mental health clinicians. I began this journey to help my brothers I served with, and I am now in a position where I can not only help them, but help our brothers and sisters from all branches who are struggling after leaving the military.”

Section III: Clinical Services Offered by WJC Students

1. Clinical Service offered to Veterans and Military Members

From July 2015 to June 2016 WJC students delivered 25,905 hours of clinical services to veterans and active

service members, including individual and group therapy, testing, training, and supervision. Approximately half

of this service delivery (12,000 hours) was provided by WJC students at highly-competitive American

Psychological Association (APA) accredited pre-doctoral internships1, while the remainder were provided at

veteran-focused sites within Massachusetts and New Hampshire, including the Edith Nourse Rogers VA

Medical Center (Bedford, MA), Manchester VA Medical Center (Manchester, NH), Worchester Vet Center,

Boston Vet Center, and Veterans Northeast Outreach Center (Haverhill, MA).

The following data as shown in Table 3, represents free clinical service hours from WJC students in the

counseling and clinical programs, and provides a detailed snapshot of the services provided by these students.

It should be noted that HIPAA Privacy regulations prevented WJC from obtaining data from students placed at

select Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs sites; therefore, the following report and data only

represents a small portion of the students participating in this experiential education initiative. Students met

the program requirement of providing direct clinical services to clients 25% of the time. In viewing the data is

should be noted that some student profiles indicate far fewer hours that others due differences in program

requirements within the master’s level counseling and Psy.D. programs.

1WJC students participated in APA internships at Naval Medical Center San Diego, Hudson Valley Health System, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VAMC, White River Junction VAMC, New Jersey Health Care System, and Southern Nevada Healthcare System.

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Table 3: Clinical Service Hours to Veterans and Military Members

*These hours are estimates as HIPPA regulations prevent tracking hours from this APA site.

Student Name

Field Site Total Direct (Intervention &

Assessment) Support Supervision

Total Site Hours

MC Naval Medical Center- San Diego (APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

MG VA Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial-

Bedford (APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

BG VA Hudson Valley Health System (APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

EB VA Medical Center- White River Junction

(APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

IC VA New Jersey Health Care System

(APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

BS VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System

(APA) 600 1,150 250 2,000*

EK Bedford VA 239 586 176 1003

MC Bedford VA 224 603 128 955

GD Bedford VA 286 578 153 1017

EH Bedford VA 305 637 174 1116

HP Bedford VA 211 634 134 979

RF Bedford VA- Geropsychology 302 535 185 1022

KB Bedford VA- Neuropsychology 323 448 171 942

JE Bedford VA- Neuropsychology 374 745 42 1161

EW Bedford VA- Neuropsychology 215 735 120 1070

RH Manchester VA 189 720 86 995

JL Manchester VA 139 646 94 879

DM Manchester VA 223 608 123 954

MM Worcester Vet Center 331 358 232 921

PE Boston Vet Center 266 318 85 669

RA VNOC 40 132 50 222

Total Hours 7267 15,183 3453 25,905

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Demographic data was collected from WJC students at sites providing services to veterans. All data reported

represents both veterans and the family members of veterans. The following data is not a complete

representative of client demographics due to the limited data collection from clients served.

2. Age of Clients Served

Services were provided to clients ranging from age 18 to over age 65. Over half (62.4%) of services were

provided to clients between the ages of 18-64. Table 4 below provides a visual breakdown of clients by age.

Table 4: Age of Clients

Age Intervention Assessment All2

0-2 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %

3-5 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %

6-12 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %

13-17 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %

18-64 153 61.2 % 83 66.9 % 171 62.4 %

65 & Over 97 38.8 % 41 33.1 % 103 37.6 %

All 205 124 274

3. Gender of Clients Served

As indicated in Table 5, WJC student provided services to primarily (85.0%) male clients. Females were the

second largest group representing 14.2% of clients treated.

Table 5: Gender

Gender Intervention Assessment All

Male 210 84.0 % 110 88.7 % 233 85.0 %

Female 38 15.2 % 12 9.7 % 39 14.2 %

Transgender 1 0.4 % 1 0.8 % 1 0.4 %

Other 1 0.4 % 1 0.8 % 1 0.4 %

All 250 124 274

2 The numbers in the column “All” are not a sum total of Intervention and Assessment. Sometimes the clients who are receiving direct care are also assessed by our clinician in training but not always. Often though assessment and intervention clients come from 2 different pools.

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4. Sexual Orientation of Clients Served3

The majority (74.9%) of clients treated by WJC students identified as heterosexual, with the second largest

group (17.5%) identified as “don’t know.” See table 6 for additional information on the sexual orientation of

clients treated.

Table 6: Sexual Orientation

Sexual Orientation Intervention Assessment All

Don't Know 29 17.7 % 3 3.8 % 30 17.5 %

Heterosexual 122 74.4 % 69 86.2 % 128 74.9 %

Gay 3 1.8 % 3 3.8 % 3 1.8 %

Lesbian 2 1.2 % 1 1.2 % 2 1.2 %

Bisexual 6 3.7 % 2 2.5 % 6 3.5 %

Other 2 1.2 % 2 2.5 % 2 1.2 %

All 164 80 171

5. Ethnicity of Clients Served

As indicated in Table 7, WJC students provided services to an ethnically diverse population. African

America/Black/African Origin accounted was the most frequently served (7.7%) ethnic minority group.

Table 7: Ethnicity

Ethnicity Intervention Assessment All

European Origin/White 158 85.9 % 69 76.7 % 168 85.7%

African American/Black/African Origin 13 7.1 % 9 10.0 % 14 7.1 %

Asian American/Asian Origin/Pacific Islander 1 0.5 % 1 1.1 % 1 0.5 %

Latino-a/Hispanic 8 4.3 % 7 7.8 % 8 4.1 %

American Indian/Alaskan/Aboriginal 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 % 0 0.0 %

Bi-racial/Multi-racial 4 2.2% 4 4.4 % 5 2.6 %

All 184 90 196

3 The numbers for Ethnicity and Sexual Orientation do not match numbers reported for age and gender. This is because our students are not always comfortable posing these questions and clients often are reluctant to share this information.

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6. Disability of Clients Treated

As seen in Table 8, WJC students provided services to clients with a wide variety of physical and psychological

concerns. The majority of services (47.6%) were provided to individuals who were diagnosed as having a

serious mental illness or a learning cognitive disability.

Table 8: Disabilities

Disabilities Intervention Assessment All

None 16 6.4 % 1 0.9 % 16 5.9 %

Physical/Orthopedic 48 19.2 % 22 18.8 % 55 20.1 %

Blind/Visually Impaired 17 6.8 % 5 4.3 % 19 7.0 %

Deaf/Hard of Hearing 29 11.6 % 18 15.4 % 32 11.7 %

Learning Cognitive Disability 52 20.8 % 36 30.8 % 58 21.2 %

Developmental Disability 5 2.0 % 2 1.7 % 5 1.8 %

Serious Mental Illness 67 26.8 % 31 26.5 % 72 26.4 %

Other 16 6.4 % 2 1.7 % 16 5.9 %

All 250 117 273

Section IV: Assessment Conducted of Veteran-Focused Mental Health Providers

In an effort to complete the TVTV programs objective of providing training to mental health providers the

program conducted extensive preparation for a state-wide assessment of mental health providers. Tasks

accomplished during the 2015-2016 academic year included identifying the scope of the project in

coordination with the DVS, identifying four pilot sites, developing survey materials, and obtaining approval

through the WJC Institutional Review Board.

1. Sponsored State-Wide Training Conferences for Mental Health Providers

Student veterans in the TVTV program provided support for WJC’s annual conference regarding providing

effective care for veterans. The conference was held on May 13, 2016 at WJC. The conference was titled

“Beyond Post-Traumatic Stress: Fostering Growth and Resilience in Military and Veteran Communities.” The

primary objective of the conference was to promote communication, discussion, and the exchange of

information among mental health providers, educators and students interested in working with veterans,

members of the Armed Forces, and their families. Additionally, TVTV students were featured on a conference

panel allowing mental health professionals the opportunity to ask important questions about effective ways to

approach mental health care to veterans. This panel was rated as one of the most helpful aspects of the

conference.

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2. Overall Rating of Conference Experience

Data was collected from conference attendees via survey at the conclusion of the event. Results of the survey

are available by request. As indicated in Table 9, the overall ratings for the conference were high, indicating

that respondents found the conference to be a positive experience. Over 82% of respondents across all

categories gave the conference the highest rating of “Very Good”, with the exception of Conference Materials

(57%). Additionally, the overall conference experience received a mean score of 4.82 out of 5.

Table 9: Overall Conference Experience

Category n Mean Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Facilitators 51 4.88 0% 0% 0% 11.8% 88.2%

Speakers 51 4.90 0% 0% 0% 9.8% 90.2%

Content 50 4.84 0% 0% 0% 16% 84%

Materials 51 4.35 2% 0% 15.7% 25.5% 56.9%

Facilities 50 4.84 0% 0% 0% 16% 84%

Overall Experience 51 4.82 0% 0% 0% 17.6% 82.4%

3. Student Veteran Panel

The yearly panel, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Veterans but Were Afraid to Ask, is one way in

which the TVTV program helps bridge the gap between mental health professionals and the veteran

community. Attendees were given the opportunity to ask TVTV students, all of whom are veterans, clinically

challenging questions. The goal of this is to give a chance to learn more about the experiences of veterans in

an informal setting. Panel members provided information and perspectives on a variety of topics including:

reintegration from deployment, reflections on military service, serving as active duty versus service in the

reserve components of the military, the experience of being a student veteran, and what they had found

helpful and challenging as they transitioned from active duty to veteran status.

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Table 10: Student Panel Experience

Category N Mean Strongly Disagree Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Agree Strongly

Agree

Accurate 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Learning 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Knowledgeable 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Material 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Format 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Helpful 9 4.89 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 88.9%

Section V: Research Conducted by Students

During the 2015-2016 academic year research was conducted by students and faculty affiliated with the TVTV

program. As part of their academic requirements students within the MVP program must complete a doctoral

project with a topic addressing some aspect of military or veteran psychology. The TVTV program acts as the

research arm that supports and informs the clinical training of students. This program also allows for the

support of student veterans as they pursue their research interests.

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1. Premature Termination in Trauma-Focused Treatment from the Perspective of Military

Veterans

As part of her doctoral project at WJC, Hillary Scudder surveyed and interviewed veterans and service

members who prematurely terminated from trauma-focused therapy in an effort to understand their

treatment experiences and the factors influencing the termination of therapy. Some members discontinued

therapy for reasons separate from the therapy itself such as military events including deployments or changes

in military status. Other members left because they were dissatisfied with their clinicians’ perceived lack of

cultural competence working with military members, or because of a perceived therapeutic mismatch

between the participant and the clinician and/or the treatment modality. Mental health stigma emerged as

another factor negatively impacting military members’ participation in therapy. Scudder suggests that

additional research into the factors impacting military members’ premature therapy termination is necessary.

She urges clinicians to be more mindful of military culture and expresses hope for improved continuity of care

with military members.

2. Role and Identity Adjustment and the Experience of Liminality in Veterans Seeking Higher

Education: A Qualitative Investigation

Mary Sullivan also completed her research as part of her doctoral project at WJC. She focused on veterans as

they reintegrate into civilian society and attempt to complete post-secondary degrees. The research identified

and explored several reintegration challenges that lead to difficulties acclimating to academic environments

and high dropout rates for veterans. These challenges include medical and psychological effects of war,

individual experiences such as the increased likelihood of being first-generation students, psychological

stressors due to combat stress and PTSD, financial stressors, inherent differences between the military and

civilian cultures, and the lack of understanding on the part of many higher education institutions. Fostering

social support for veterans in academia would help alleviate some of these challenges.

3. Gap Analysis of Mental Health and Other Support Services Provided by Department of

Veteran Services Grantees

Social Service Agencies across the commonwealth who support DVS to provide services for veterans and their

families are collaborating with WJC to conduct a gap analysis. The information for this analysis was collected

using a short online survey designed to explore and better understand the nature of support services provided

by the DVS within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, we hope to obtain a better picture of

the landscape of mental health services available for veterans. The purpose of this gap analysis is to identify

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current trends in mental health and substance abuse services offered by DVS Grantees, and identify areas of

both strength and potential growth. Using the results from this survey, we hope to make informed

recommendations to the entire DVS system for next steps to improve training, maximize resources, and

enhance the services provided to veterans. We have gotten overwhelming support from all our partner

agencies. As of July 17th, 2016, 55 surveys were complete by administrators and providers from all over the

commonwealth. Preparations are underway to begin Phase 2 of data collection, qualitative analysis.

Section VI: Goals for Academic Year 2017

In the coming training year, the TVTV program will accomplish the following:

1. Continue to provide effective outreach to student veterans interested in pursuing careers in mental

health, as well as work closely with WJC’s MVP program to ensure that student Veterans within WJC

receive the training necessary to provide effective and culturally-competent services within the

veteran and military community. This task will be supported through the creation of an official student

chapter for APA’s Division 19 – Military Psychology.

2. The TVTV program will continue to provide critical information to DVS on the success of outreach

activities and provision of direct therapy services to veterans.

3. The TVTV program will continue to provide consultation and support to expand clinical intervention

and involvement with Veterans through field placement at WJC.

4. Increased investment and emphasis placed on the WJC Military Community, an affiliated Student

Veterans of America (SVA) chapter. This is in direct response and anticipation of a large increase of

student Veteran population in the next academic year. This will assist in not only peer support for the

veteran population, but also provide transitional support for service members and their families who

have recently separated from active duty and are beginning their graduate education.

5. Implement a new research project to identify strengths and gaps in DVS-supported facilities providing

housing services for veterans. This pilot study will involve TVTV members and WJC faculty conducting

in-person visits to four DVS-supported facilities and collecting detailed information on capabilities,

including types of services provided at each location. Systematically gathering this information will

support DVS in identifying potential service gaps throughout the state, and may provide critical

support to DVS’s goal of ending veteran homelessness in Massachusetts.

6. The TVTV program will continue to provide additional CDP training, submit research, complete the DVS

study, attend more local and regional conferences, organize fundraisers for veteran charities, and will

continue to develop more veteran specific placement sites.

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Section VII: Conclusion

The TVTV program had many successes during the 2015-2016 academic year. The following discussion will

look more closely at a few specific areas of the program, some of the individual successes of the students

within the TVTV cohort, as well as areas for growth.

Successes

One significant success was the TVTV program obtaining approval from the WJC Institutional Review Board to

conduct the proposed DVS study referenced in the 2015 report. The pilot study has begun collecting data from

sites in Massachusetts, and outreach is being conducted to encourage maximum participation. Additional

success’s included the TVTV programs 3rd Annual Female Veterans Outreach and Family Fair and Beyond Post-

Traumatic Stress conference which were both well received. Both events received positive ratings from

attendees, and allowed the TVTV cohort to further develop leadership and professional skills. Lastly, the TVTV

program has continued to meet and develop new goals for each academic year. The students within the TVTV

program act as a cohesive cohort, and the incoming 2016-2017 TVTV cohort includes four students. This

growth has allowed for expanded operations, and outreach to the community.

Of the current cohort, two students have obtained APA Internship placements in the Nebraska and Texas VA

systems. A third student is completing an advanced internship within the Massachusetts VA system. Dr. Suri

and Adam Freed presented research at the VA Leadership Conference in Texas via the APA’s Division 18 –

Psychologists in Public Service. Adam was selected to attend training through the Center for Deployment

Psychology (CDP) and additional clinical training through the US Army at Madigan Army Medical Center

(MAMC) in Tacoma, WA. Additionally, due to the hard work of students like Hillary and Molly, Doc Projects

have created the opportunity to create a feedback loop where research findings can be used to inform clinical

practice. Hard working students and dedicated faculty have ensured positive gains and a rate of program

success that exceeds expectations.

Areas for Growth

As in any program there are areas for continued growth. One area for growth is the need to continue

developing new placement sites that provide opportunities for students to develop competency in working

with service members, veterans, and their families. Further outreach should also be conducted to learn more

about the disparity between availability and utilization of services in the veteran population. Additionally,

outreach to WJC students in the form of information sessions, concentration meetings, and opportunities for

mentorship would be helpful in preparing students for continued success. In regards to the TVTV cohort,

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continued recruitment of appropriate students is vital for future success. The current 2016-2017 cohort is

comprised of four students and has a target number of eight individuals.

In regards to this year’s Beyond Post-Traumatic Stress conference, it may be helpful to disseminate the

information through a series of lectures and trainings held across the academic year. Feedback from attendees

indicated that they would have liked to have attended more workshops during the afternoon session, instead

of just the one. Feedback from the 3rd Annual Female Veterans Outreach and Family Fair called for more

information and earlier outreach to sites. To encourage higher levels of attendance TVTV should explore

opportunities to move the event to sites funded by DVS, with the approval of DVS. Outreach should also focus

on encouraging student participation in veteran focused events and service learning opportunities.

Clinical training remains a major area of strength for WJC – students report a dearth of clinical experiences and

a high number of face-to-face hours completed. However, exposure to formal training in the use of evidence-

based practices is not a given, and instead depends largely on the student’s placement. Students who may be

interested in pursuing a career in military mental health or the VA may be at a disadvantage unless they have

had a very specific set of training experiences through pre-doctoral training opportunities. This area could

potentially be addressed through the use of in-service training opportunities for the MVP and TVTV cohorts, or

outsourcing training and certification through a strategic partnership (CDP, VA system, etc.).

Wrap up

Overall, the 2015-2016 academic year was a success. This year’s objectives were met by the TVTV program. All

events were well received by both attendees and volunteers. Two students within the TVTV cohort obtained

APA placements and produced research that adds to our understanding of veterans within the academic, and

therapeutic settings. Faculty members provided training for organizations such as HFOT, and created a

resource guide. New placement sites have been cultivated, including the addition of an Advanced Internship

placement with the US Coast Guard in Connecticut and Consortium Site through Harvard Street Neighborhood

Health Center in Massachusetts.

In closing we would like to highlight that this year’s success was due to the hard work and support of the WJC

faculty, staff and students.