Integrative Mental Health Program

Overview
IMH develops and delivers interdisciplinary training programs that prepare clinicians and chaplains to work effectively in integrated care environments. These initiatives emphasize collaboration, clinical excellence, and responsiveness to complex patient needs.

What We Do

• Design and implement national training programs for chaplains and mental health providers
• Provide continuing education and workforce development across VA and academic settings
• Mentor early-career professionals in integrative care models
• Develop curricula that integrate mental health, spirituality, and clinical practice

Impact
Our training programs are shaping a new generation of providers equipped to address complex mental health needs through collaborative, patient-centered care.

Featured Initiative

The Mental Health Integration for Chaplain Services (MHICS) program developed and offered by IMH prepares chaplains to function on interdisciplinary care teams and employ evidence-based practices within their capacities as spiritual care providers. MHICS is offered in partnership with Vanderbilt Divinity School and serves as the basis for a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Integrative Chaplaincy.

Overview
IMH engages with community partners to extend integrative care approaches beyond traditional clinical settings. We work to build connections that support psychosocial-spiritual health, resilience, and well-being across diverse populations.

What We Do

• Partner with community organizations, faith groups, and service networks
• Provide education and outreach on integrating emotional, social, and spiritual care
• Support community-informed approaches to program development
• Facilitate dialogue between healthcare providers, faith community representatives, and community stakeholders

Impact
Our community engagement efforts strengthen trust, expand access to care, and ensure that integrative approaches are responsive to the lived experiences of the populations we serve.

Featured Initiative

The Collaborating in Care: Ministry & Mental Health (CCMM) event series brings faith community leaders and mental health providers together to strengthen community-based support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. The program builds practical bridges between congregations and care systems, expanding access to trusted, culturally responsive support. The CCMM series utilizes IMH-produced video clips from three distinct education and training products. The complete products are publicly available online:

• For Faith Communities
• For Clergy
• Upstream Suicide Prevention

Overview
IMH leads clinical quality improvement initiatives that enhance the integration of mental health and chaplaincy within healthcare systems. Our work focuses on improving care delivery, team collaboration, and patient outcomes.

What We Do

• Develop and implement quality improvement initiatives in clinical settings
• Evaluate care processes to identify opportunities for integration and improvement
• Support interdisciplinary teams in adopting evidence-informed practices
• Use data-driven approaches to refine and sustain clinical innovations

Impact
Our quality improvement efforts are helping healthcare systems deliver more coordinated, effective, and patient-centered care.

Featured Initiative

The Dynamic Diffusion Network for Moral Injury is a national quality improvement initiative that supports healthcare systems in implementing and refining evidence-informed approaches to moral injury care. By connecting clinical teams across sites, the network accelerates learning, adaptation, and the spread of effective practices.

Overview

IMH conducts research that advances the evidence base for integrative psychosocial-spiritual care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our work emphasizes practical impact, with a focus on real-world implementation and outcomes.

What We Do

• Design and conduct studies evaluating integrative mental health approaches
• Lead implementation science initiatives within VA and partner systems
• Examine clinical, organizational, and patient-centered outcomes
• Disseminate findings through publications, presentations, and national collaborations

Impact

Our research is informing best practices, shaping national conversations, and supporting the broader adoption of integrative models of care. Key domains of interest include moral injury, suicide prevention, chaplain/mental health integration, and intersections between spirituality and mental health.

Featured Initiative

IMH has led a longitudinal study following post-9/11 Veterans over the course of more than a decade to better understand the interplay of mental health, spirituality, and well-being across the life course. The findings are informing more nuanced, integrative approaches to care that reflect the complexity of Veterans’ lived experiences.