U008--10RCS Prolonged Exposure Therapy Training VIRTUAL Training 6/15/23-6/14/24

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Statement of Work Background: The Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Vet Center Program consists of community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Readjustment counseling is offered to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. Individual, group, marriage and family counseling is offered in addition to referral and connection to other VA or community benefits and services. Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) were established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era Vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In April 1991, in response to the Persian Gulf War, Congress extended the eligibility to Veterans who served during other periods of armed hostilities after the Vietnam era. Those other periods are identified as Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, and Kosovo/Bosnia. In October 1996, Congress extended the eligibility to include WWII and Korean Combat Veterans. The goal of Vet Centers is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to eligible Veterans in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life. On April 1, 2003, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs extended eligibility for Vet Center services to Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and on June 25, 2003, Vet Center eligibility was extended to Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and subsequent operations within the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The RCS Central Office continues the long tradition of RCS support to Veterans and family members in our communities across the USA. In the execution of this mission, it is critical that Vet Center staff receive regular clinical training in order to maintain and improve their skills and knowledge base in the area of mental health counseling and evidence-based techniques. Scope: Provide 4 cohorts of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) training consisting of 4 days of training, and 2 manuals each for 50 participants in each cohort. Provide two 5-day PE Consultation Workshop with a maximum of 20 PE therapist that have completed at least 5 cases of PE independently. Provide one 3-day PE Trainer s workshop with a maximum of 10 PE Consultants. Course will be delivered virtually. Contractor is responsible for providing trainers, all required course content (handouts, manuals, etc.) and documentation of course completion for each completing participant to include Continuing Education Units (CEUs) consistent with hours of instruction. Purpose: The purpose of PE Training is to provide an interactive learning experience where counselors will be trained in the theory, knowledge and skills required to practice PE which is identified in the VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guidelines as recommended evidenced based practice for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Prolonged Exposure is one of the most studied and most effective treatments for PTSD. PE was developed by Edna Foa, PhD, Director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Numerous well-controlled studies have shown that PE significantly reduces the symptoms of PTSD, depression, anger, and anxiety in trauma survivors. Practitioners throughout the United States and many foreign countries currently use PE to successfully treat survivors of varied traumas including rape, assault, child abuse, combat, motor vehicle accidents and disasters. PE has been beneficial for those suffering from co-occurring PTSD and substance abuse when combined with substance abuse treatment. Over years of testing and development, PE has evolved into an adaptable program of intervention to address the needs of varied trauma survivors. In addition to reducing symptoms of PTSD, PE instills confidence and a sense of mastery, improves various aspects of daily functioning, increases client's ability to cope with courage rather than fearfulness when facing stress, and improves their ability to discriminate safe and unsafe situations. Completion of this training will improve the clinical competency of selected Readjustment Counselors within the RCS Organization, Vet Center Program resulting in trauma informed, evidence-based quality care for Veterans, service members and their families. Period of Performance: Training must start before 06/15/2023 and end before 06/14/2024. Tasks/Delivery Schedule: Dates Counselors are available: Coordinate available instruction dates with Counselors/Clinicians. PE 4-day Workshop - LEARNING OBJECTIVES CONTENT INCLUDES: Describe the diagnosis and psychopathology of PTSD Discuss emotional processing theory as it relates to Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD Discuss empirically supported, psychotherapeutic treatments for chronic PTSD and the comparative efficacy of these treatment approaches Explain how clients can be helped to emotionally engage in and process traumatic memories, with the aim of reducing trauma-related symptoms and difficulties Implement psychoeducational treatment components of Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD Construct an in-vivo exposure hierarchy that includes a range of situations that safely and effectively promote learning while expanding the client s world. Implement in-vivo exposure to safe but avoided trauma reminders with patients Help patients choose an appropriate index trauma to focus on in Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD Conduct imaginal exposure to memories of traumatic events Choose hot spots with patients and implement hot spots procedures Identify and address avoidance in PE sessions Identify and address over- and under-engagement in imaginal exposure Consultation (10 hours) Required: TBD PE 5-day Consultation Workshop - LEARNING OBJECTIVES CONTENT INCLUDES: Discuss theoretical and empirical background of PE Review PE therapy procedures with illustrations from cases treated by CTSA experts Summarize supervision methods and formats Provide corrective feedback on the conduct of PE rationales, using cases treated by novices Provide corrective feedback on the conduct of in-vivo and imaginal exposure techniques Provide feedback on the effective management of over- and under-engagement in imaginal exposure Provide corrective feedback on post-exposure processing of guilt, shame, and anger Evaluate PE sessions using adherence and competence rating scales Consultation (10 hours) Required: TBD PE 3-Day Trainers Workshop - LEARNING OBJECTIVES CONTENT INCLUDES: Provide trainings in Prolonged Exposure Therapy for survivors of trauma, covers the basics of all components of PE Identify how to modify PE procedures in order to tailor the treatment to the client s response to exposure. Become an expert in the theoretical background and empirical support for PE as well as the components of PE Define crisis survival skills for short-term distress and reality acceptance skills for long-term distress. Consultation (10 hours) Required: TBD Proof of Completion: Documentation of course completion to include CEUs will be provided to each completing participant. Trainers must be Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) Approved PE Training Providers CEU requirement from the following institutions: ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORK BOARD (ASWB) AND NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK (NYSED) REQUIREMENTS AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) AND NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, STATE BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY (NYSED-P) REQUIREMENTS NATIONAL BOARD FOR CERTIFIED COUNSELORS (NBCC) REQUIREMENTS AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY Contractor will outline training schedule for instruction and consultation. Training to be completed no later than September 30, 2023. Contractor will work with RCS to establish dates of training. Location: Virtual Contractor Personnel Security Requirements: No Contractor/Subcontractor employees shall be permitted access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems at any time. Government Responsibilities RCS Office of Policy and Oversight will provide the list of students to contractor in advance of the first training. RCS District leadership will ensure student schedules are clear so that they may focus on each iteration training.