Health Services Research & Development

Director: Richard Owen, M.D.

About the COIN

CeMHOR's mission is to optimize outcomes for Veterans by conducting innovative research to improve access to and engagement in evidence-based mental health and substance use care.

Focused Areas of Research

CeMHOR's focused area of research, which is the same as its mission and spans mental health specialty settings, primary care, and the community, includes the Improving Rural Veterans' Access/Engagement in Evidence-Based Mental Health CREATE.

Advance Knowledge and Address Gaps in Access to and Engagement in Evidence-Based Mental Healthcare

On Aug. 31, 2012, President Obama's Executive Order, "Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families," called for additional VA mental health (MH) providers, community outreach, and MH research—highlighting the importance of CeMHOR's ongoing and proposed research. There are gaps in Veterans' perceived and actual access to mental healthcare, as well as gaps in scientific knowledge about how to improve dimensions of access that matter most to Veterans. Similarly, there is insufficient engagement in evidence-based mental healthcare, and incomplete knowledge about how to improve engagement to achieve a therapeutic effect. CeMHOR's research activities will address these gaps, advance knowledge, and have rapid impact on VA healthcare. Activities to accomplish these goals include:

• Improving access to and engagement in evidence-based mental healthcare in primary care settings;
• Improving access to and engagement in evidence-based services in specialty mental healthcare settings; and
• Activities that will improve access to and engagement in evidence-based mental healthcare through community-based interventions, including "digital outreach."

Partner Offices

Each COIN works closely with operational partners throughout the VA healthcare system. CeMHOR's partners include:

• Office of Mental Health Services (OMHS)
• Harold Kudler, MD, Chief Consultant, OMHS
• Andrew Pomerantz, M.D., National Mental Health Director, Integrated Care
• Jan Kemp, R.N., Ph.D., National Mental Health Director, Suicide Prevention & Community Engagement
• Office of Mental Health Operations
• David Carroll, Ph.D, Director
• Lisa Kearney, Ph.D., Senior Consultant for National Mental Health Technical Assistance
• QUERI for Team-Based Behavioral Health: JoAnn Kirchner, M.D., Director
• South Central Mental Illness Research, Education & Clinical Center (MIRECC): Mark Kunik, M.D., M.P.H., Acting Director
• South Central VA Health Care Network, VISN 16, Mental Health Product Line (MHPL): John Rader, L.C.S.W., Manager

Related Resources

• View the studies at this center
• Search citations from this center