STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation)

Evidence-level

Effective (About evidence-level criteria)

Description

According to the VA Office of Rural Health, 4.7 million veterans live in the rural United States. Of these rural veterans, 8% are women. According to a 2014 Journal of Rural Health article, rural women veterans were less likely than their urban counterparts to seek mental healthcare from Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) in California is working to increase access for these women and other veterans through telemental health.

STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation) targets rural women veterans, especially those with military sexual trauma (MST) and other military-related trauma. According to the VA, one in three women veterans seeking VA services reported having experienced MST. Although women are a specific target population, the program is open to all genders and has similar effectiveness across populations.

Services offered

Clients can choose to receive individual or group treatment via teleconferencing either in the nearest community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) or in the clients' own homes. They can also use webSTAIR, a web-based version of STAIR paired with expert coaching through telemental health, at select VA systems across the country.

STAIR works to reduce PTSD and increase participants' social functioning. The 10-week program helps veterans build skills such as:

• Mood management
• Relationship building
• Social functioning

Results

VAPAHCS therapists reported that more clients felt safer and attended more sessions when they could do so in their homes or in a clinic familiar to them. Clients reported that the facility and staff provided a positive environment, and many clients would recommend the STAIR program to others.

webSTAIR was launched in 2017 as an Enterprise Wide Initiative supported by the VA Office of Rural Health. The initiative is being offered to rural veterans with therapist guidance at the VAPAHCS; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas; and the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. From 2017 to 2022, webSTAIR expanded through a training model available to all VA clinicians. Clinicians were provided with training in the webSTAIR platform and provided access to use the program with veterans they serve.

For more information about STAIR for telemental health:

Weiss, B.J., Azevedo, K., Webb, K., Gimeno, J., & Cloitre, M. (2018). Telemental Health Delivery of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) for Rural Women Veterans Who Have Experienced Military Sexual Trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 31(4), 620-25. Article Abstract

Azevedo, K.J., Weiss, B.J., Webb, K., Gimeno, J., & Cloitre, M. (2016). Piloting Specialized Mental Health Care for Rural Women Veterans Using STAIR Delivered via Telehealth: Implications for Reducing Health Disparities. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 27(4A), 1-7. Article Abstract

Challenges

It can be difficult enrolling people into the program, as participants may not want to talk about trauma, especially sexual trauma.

The clinic-to-home program requires participants to have strong internet connection, webcam, and a newer computer model or device. Participants without these means were offered tablets. Program coordinators also often rely on Telemental Health Technicians (THTs) to help clients schedule appointments and use their equipment.

Replication

Program coordinators learned that other veteran populations were interested in the STAIR program. A number of male veterans, especially those who had experienced MST, had requested participating in the STAIR program, so all current STAIR programs are available to people regardless of gender identity. The coordinators believe that STAIR and webSTAIR could also be useful for veterans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ), as they might experience stigma or violence targeting their sexual or gender identity and face additional barriers to accessing culturally competent care.

Contact Information

Jamie Kim, Lead Project Manager
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Jamie.Kim@va.gov