Modeling to Learn is a national quality improvement initiative in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) that is funded by the National Institutes of Health and VA Health Services Research and Development. It is a systems modeling project within the VA National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder that has built capacity among clinical teams of mental health providers to make care delivery improvements that will move existing veteran patients through evidence-based mental health therapies while increasing capacity to get more veterans into mental health care.

Modeling to Learn uses state-of-the-science system dynamics modeling tools to provide learners with a systems view of their problem. By using a suite of delivery models, and clinicians and managers (frontline psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and certified peer support specialists) can safely experiment with ways to improve care delivery. Modeling to Learn includes modules for care coordination, medication management, psychotherapy, team care (aggregate services, and team flow (measurement based care for suicide prevention across the mental health care continuum). Learners are taught how to use the modules through videos, online guides and resources, and, for some teams, short consultative sessions.

The Georgia Health Policy Center worked with the VA National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder to create educational modules, facilitate clinic teams in use of local data, and support participatory learning through simulation. Currently, two scientific studies are underway to assess the effectiveness of Modeling to Learn for increasing delivery of evidence-based addiction and mental health care.

Health Systems Transformation

Workforce Development