| NCT ID | NCT05812131 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development |
| Condition | PTSD |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 248 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-05-11 |
| Primary Completion | 2027-01-01 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 248 participants in total. It began in 2025-05-11 with a primary completion date of 2027-01-01.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are two of the most common and debilitating mental health conditions afflicting military Veterans. PTSD and SUD frequently co-occur and are associated with poorer treatment outcomes. The investigators' team developed a trauma-focused intervention, Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), which is identified by the VA as a gold standard of behavioral healthcare and was designated as a first-line treatment in the 2025 APA Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD. However, a critical barrier to ensuring that Veterans with co-occurring PTSD/SUD receive evidence-based treatment is a lack of provider training. This project directly addresses this critical gap by developing a new web-based training program for providers (COPEWeb).
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * currently a provider in a behavioral health field (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, counseling) * English speaking * able to consistently obtain reliable internet access * willing to attend a 2-day "live" in-person (or virtual) COPE training if randomly assigned to that condition * willing to engage in a standardized patient assessment after training * has no prior formal training in the COPE therapy Exclusion Criteria: * received prior training in COPE * not a provider in the behavioral health field * non-English speaking * lack of reliable internet access
Contact & Investigator
Sudie E. Back, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT05812131 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying PTSD. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT05812131 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT05812131 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at Sudie.Back@va.gov for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT05812131 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Charleston, United States.
Who is sponsoring the NCT05812131 clinical trial?
NCT05812131 is sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development. The principal investigator is Sudie E. Back, PhD at Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC. The trial plans to enroll 248 participants.
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