Improving Access and Treatment for Substance Use and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Military/Veteran Populations

This talk will address challenges and opportunities in the provision of interdisciplinary treatment for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) among military veterans and service members with co-occurring substance use. Rates of co-occurrence of TBI and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) will be discussed, as well as overlap in presenting symptoms and impact of co-occurring conditions on outcomes and treatment access. This will be followed by an overview of challenges for SUD treatment in complex military and veteran populations and recommendations for best practices in the treatment of SUD. This talk will conclude with a description of clinical successes and challenges, initial results, and lessons learned through the “SHARE Access Project,” an ongoing program development and research effort which aims to improve access to care and outcomes in interdisciplinary treatment for TBI for post-9/11 veterans and servicemembers with SUD or active substance use.