title: Evaluating the implementation and sustainability of a program for enhancing veterans' intimate relationships.
abstract: The Warrior to Soul Mate (W2SM) program is a grassroots initiative on the part of Veterans Affairs chaplain services to provide relationship enhancement skills to veterans and significant others based on the Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills model. To examine the implementation and sustainability of the W2SM program, two online surveys were sent to each participating facility's W2SM leader. The first examined how individual W2SM events were conducted (100% response rate, 67 surveys) and the second assessed facility-level issues impacting program sustainability (100% response rate, 23 surveys). Four sites were selected for qualitative interviews based on levels of sustainability. In 2013, W2SM served 1,664 people including 847 veterans, incurring reasonable program costs when compared to other intensive Veterans Affairs services. However, there have been important systematic (e.g., contracting processes) and resource (e.g., time, concern over funding) challenges that are reflected in the wide range of predicted program sustainability.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street (152), Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: Alice G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fortune-Britt
authors.affiliation: VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 411 W. Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701.
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nieuwsma
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street (152), Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gierisch
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street (152), Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: Santanu K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, G-410, 1310 24th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212.
authors.forename: Deonni P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Stolldorf
authors.affiliation: VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 411 W. Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.affiliation: National Chaplain Center, Veterans Health Administration, 100 Emancipation Drive, Hampton, VA 23667.
authors.forename: A Keith
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ethridge
authors.affiliation: Chaplain Service, Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1481 West 10th Street (125), Indianapolis, IN 46202.
authors.forename: Clyde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angel
authors.affiliation: Chaplain Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161.
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Millspaugh
authors.affiliation: Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation (10NE), Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420.
authors.forename: Sherri L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bauch
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street (152), Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008605:Mental Health Services; D016730:Program Development / Q000191:economics; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D066107:Social Skills; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*