Wortmann, J. H., Nieuwsma, J. A., Cantrell, W., Fernandez, P., Smigelsky, M. & Meador, K. (2021). Chaplain Training in Evidence-Based Practices to Promote Mental Health and Improve Care for Suicidality in Veterans and Service Members. Archives of Suicide Research. DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2021.1972884
Objective
Chaplains are key care providers in a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention, which is a priority area for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD). In a cohort of 87 VA and military chaplains who completed the Mental Health Integration for Chaplain Services (MHICS) training–an intensive, specialty education in evidence-based psychosocial and collaborative approaches to mental health care–we assessed chaplains’ self-perceptions, intervention behaviors, and use of evidence-based practices, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Problem-Solving Therapy (PST), and Motivational Interviewing (MI), in providing care for suicidality.
Method
Chaplains responded to a battery of items Pre- and Post-training and provided deidentified case examples describing their use of evidence-based practices in spiritual care for service members and veterans (SM/V) on various levels of a suicide prevention continuum.
Results
Post-training, chaplains reported increased abilities to provide care and mobilize collaborative resources. Over the course of MHICS, 87% of chaplains used one or more evidence-based practices with a SM/V at risk for suicide or acutely suicidal. Fifty-six percent of chaplains reported intervening with an acutely suicidal SM/V by using principles from ACT, 36% PST, and 48% MI. With persons at risk for suicide, 81% used principles from ACT, 66% PST, and 71% MI. Cases exemplified diverse evidence-based practice applications.
Conclusions
Findings indicate chaplains trained in evidence-based practices report effective application in caring for SM/V who are suicidal, thus offering a valuable resource to meet needs in a priority area for VA and DoD.