DUI Program as OEF/OIF Veterans Outreach: Descriptive Data from Two Community-based Outpatient Clinics

Date of Award

Summer 8-21-2010

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Fernand Lubuguin

Second Advisor

Kimberly Gorgens

Third Advisor

Steven O. Kidd

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Veterans, Driving under the influence program, DUI, DUI program

Abstract

Although initially conceived as providing simply the preventive portion of an extended continuum of care for veterans, the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) program has turned out to be an important outreach service for active duty or recently discharged OEF/OIF (Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom) veterans. Veterans receive empirically-based, state-mandated education and therapy under the only Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - sponsored DUI program in the State of Colorado, with the advantage of having providers who are sensitive to symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other relevant diagnoses specific to this population, including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In this paper, the rapid growth of this program is described, as well as summary data regarding the completion, discontinuation, and augmentation of services from the original referral concern. Key results indicated that for nearly one third (31.9%) of the OEF/OIF veterans who were enrolled in the DUI program, this was their initial contact with the VA health care system. Furthermore, following their enrollment in the DUI program, more than one fourth (27.6%) were later referred to and attended other VA programs including PTSD rehabilitation and group therapy, anger management, and intensive inpatient or outpatient dual diagnosis programs. These and other findings from this study suggest that the DUI program may be an effective additional pathway for providing treatment that is particularly salient to the distinctive OEF/OIF population; one that may also result in earlier intervention for problem drinking and other problems related to combat. Relevant conclusions discussed herein primarily aim to improve providers' understanding of effective outreach, and to enhance the appropriate linkages between OEF/OIF veterans and existing VA services.

Copyright Date

7-29-2010

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

Rights Holder

Ioannis Ioannou

Provenance

Received from Author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

47 pgs

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