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VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) Quality Assurance Program Manager and Specialty Programs Supervisor has co-authored a recent publication to focus on pain intensity and its

impact on daily life. Dr. Mike Sullivan-Tibbs, PSY.D., D.S.W., M.S.W., M.A., ACSW, BCD, CCFC, CSOTS, LCAC, LCSW, worked on the publications while on special assignment as the National

Project Coordinator for the Military2VA (M2VA) Pain Care Pathway.  Published by "Pain Medicine," Sullivan-Tibbs studies how Veterans transitioning to civilian life often experience

chronic pain from service-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) and have a higher risk of substance misuse. Veterans frequently seek compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) after service. With VA’s Post 9/11 M2VA program, case managers utilize Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Pain Management (SBIRT-PM) to assist Veterans in

connecting with pain care resources and reducing substance misuse. Training in SBIRT-PM helps case managers effectively engage with Veterans. In collaboration with Yale University School of

Medicine, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, National Institute of Health, VA Central Office’s Post 9/11 M2VA Program, and others, the study involves two groups across 28 VA sites, with some

sites receiving virtual support and others receiving standard training. A total of 1,848 recently discharged Veterans claiming service-connected MSD will be recruited, with case managers

unaware of which Veterans are part of the study. Participants will be tracked over 12 and 36 weeks regardless of case manager involvement. By comparing the effectiveness of additional case

manager support in using SBIRT-PM to encourage Veterans to access non-drug pain services, the study aims to improve VA case management systems.  Read the publication here.