Wounded Warrior Project Expands Mental Health Treatment to Include Substance Use Disorder

New Warrior Care Network Investments Will Improve Outcomes for Wounded Veterans

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Nov 02, 2021, 07:47 ET

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) announced it is expanding mental treatment and research for veterans through its Warrior Care Network^®, the innovative health care network created in 2015. Now wounded veterans can receive treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) simultaneously with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the network's academic medical center partners: Emory Healthcare Veterans Program; Road Home Program at Rush University Medical Center; UCLA Health's Operation Mend; and Home Base, a Boston Red Sox and Massachusetts General Hospital Program.

Wounded Warrior Project's Warrior Care Network improves the lives of veterans and families living with PTSD. New investments in the mental health program will help break down barriers to care and increase access for warriors.

According to Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 1 in 4 veterans with PTSD also have SUD. A 2020 RAND study commissioned by WWP showed the significant barrier to mental health treatment caused by substance use. This new effort will now treat both challenges together.

Learn how Wounded Warrior Project Mental Health Programs save lives.

"Many veterans face different obstacles to treatment," said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington, WWP CEO. "We are investing in breaking down these barriers and ensuring today's generation of wounded warriors gets the care they earned."

WWP's latest investment in Warrior Care Network will help treat PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) by tackling other challenges simultaneously. These include:

Chronic pain treatment through surgical procedures so warriors can focus on PTSD treatment.
Expanded TBI treatment, including a program designed for special operations forces.
New research into novel mental and brain health care, such as the use of artificial intelligence to identify veterans' responses to specific treatments.

WWP launched its innovative Warrior Care Network five years ago with four academic medical center partners to improve the lives of thousands of veterans and families. The 2- to 3-week intensive outpatient program combines comprehensive clinical treatment coupled with mindfulness to improve PTSD and TBI symptoms. More than 3,050 veterans have completed the intensive outpatient program with a greater than 90% completion rate. Warrior Care Network has treated an additional 2,650 warriors through outpatient efforts as well.

"Warrior Care Network gave me my life back," said Army veteran Tonya Oxendine.

WWP and its partners launched Warrior Care Network with WWP's initial investment of $100 million. Three years later, WWP invested an additional $160 million. Today's announcement of $25 million more brings the total investment in clinically treating PTSD and TBI to nearly $290 million.

Warrior Care Network partners work together to provide world-class care for wounded veterans and families. By sharing data and best practices, Warrior Care Network provides veterans access to the right treatment for their needs, regardless of where they live. Warriors and families never pay a penny for treatment.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project