Measuring sustainability of a grassroots program in a large integrated health care delivery system: the Warrior to Soul Mate Program.

Abstract

Introduction:Veterans experience many physical and psychosocial adjustment problems that challenge personal relationships and social functioning and successful social reintegration. The Warrior to Soul Mate (W2SM) program uses a structured curriculum [i.e., the Practical Application of Intimate Relationships Skills (PAIRS)] to address veterans' interpersonal needs by teaching participants effective interpersonal skills. Veterans who attended the W2SM program reported lower anxiety levels, improvements in marital alterations and satisfaction, and increased intimacy, cohesion, and affection. Therefore, sustaining the W2SM program can have long-term positive effects for veterans, families, and the greater society. The purpose of this paper is to describe the sustainability of the W2SM program. Methods:The Model of Community-based Program Sustainability conceptually guided the evaluation. Twenty-three VA hospitals in the U.S. that offer W2SM programs completed a self-report survey to measure sustainability. Results:The highest scoring sustainability elements were "Demonstrating program results" (M=5.82, SD=1.23), "Staff involvement and integration" (M= 5.79, SD= 1.34), and "Program responsivity" (M=4.39, SD= 1.16); the lowest scoring element was "Strategic funding" (M=2.78, SD=1.75). Statistically significant associations were found between the global middle-range program results and three sustainability elements: leadership competence (r = .472, p = .023), effective collaboration (r = .470, p = .024), and strategic funding (r = .507, p = .014). Discussion:Efforts to sustain programs should focus on leaders planning for sustainability at the onset of program implementation, collaborators must be involved in program design, implementation and evaluation, and long-term funding sources must be secured to support program operations and continuation.

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Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.3138/jmvfh.2017-0007

Publication Info

Stolldorf, Deonni P, Alice G Fortune-Britt, Jason A Nieuwsma, Jennifer M Gierisch, Santanu K Datta, Clyde Angel, Dick D Millspaugh, George L Jackson, et al. (2018). Measuring sustainability of a grassroots program in a large integrated health care delivery system: the Warrior to Soul Mate Program. Journal of military, veteran and family health, 4(2). pp. 81–90. 10.3138/jmvfh.2017-0007 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19361.

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Scholars@Duke

Nieuwsma

Jason A Nieuwsma

Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Nieuwsma is a clinical psychologist whose interests are broadly related to different aspects of integrative mental health care. He has conducted work in the areas of health psychology, primary care-mental health integration, cross-cultural psychology, implementation science, and extensive work focused on integration of spirituality and health. In addition to being an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke, Dr. Nieuwsma has served for over a decade as Associate Director for Integrative Mental Health (formerly Mental Health and Chaplaincy) in the Veterans Health Administration. He has helped lead multiple projects aimed at more effectively integrating chaplaincy and mental health care services across large healthcare systems, as well as conducting extensive work and training on moral injury, health psychology, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Nieuwsma has authored over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles & book chapters; he serves on the editorial board for the APA journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice; he is Associate Editor for the Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy; and he is a co-editor and author on the books ACT for Clergy and Pastoral Counselors and Addressing Moral Injury in Clinical Practice.

Gierisch

Jennifer M. Gierisch

Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences

Jennifer Gierisch, PhD,  is behavioral scientist and health services researcher. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Population Heath Sciences and the Department of Medicine at Duke University. She is a core investigator with the Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT)  where she serves as the leader of the Partnered Research Methods Core (PRESTO)  and Director of the VA OAA Health Services Research Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr. Gierisch also is the Co-Director of the Evidence Synthesis Program (VA ESP) at the Durham Veteran Affairs Health Care System. She also served as a faculty director of the Duke Clinical Translational Science Institute's  Community Engaged Research Initiative (CeRi) for five years

Dr. Gierisch’s research focuses on three overarching areas: 1) behavioral research on the psychosocial factors that influence appropriate uptake and maintenance of complex health behaviors (eg., weight management, smoking cessation, cancer screening); 2) evidence synthesis on key health and healthcare topics to enhance uptake of evidence-based interventions to improve patient and health system outcomes; and 3) participatory and  community engaged research approaches.

Area of expertise: health behavior, community-engaged research, evidence synthesis, intervention development,  qualitative research


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