The National Center for PTSD Model for Digital Mental Health: A Public Sector Approach to Development, Evaluation, Implementation, and Optimization of Resources for Helping Trauma Survivors

Abstract

Objective: Many digital mental health technologies have been developed to address the psychological needs of trauma survivors and those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and recent efforts have been aimed at improving the implementation of such technologies. Despite several overlapping expert summaries and recommendations for procedures and processes necessary to deploy digital mental health solutions for the public, there remains a need for a comprehensive, at-scale model that guides ongoing optimization of digital mental health technologies once created and deployed. Method: The National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD) Model for Digital Mental Health has been developed to address existing gaps and has been used to achieve broad reach, positive reception, and measurable public health benefit in the United States and around the world. The NCPTSD Model for Digital Mental Health is outlined, highlighting key elements and using examples to provide guidance to other programs intent on implementing digital health tools. Results: Strategies are provided to facilitate wider use of the model in a variety of settings, particularly those with limited resources, as well as key challenges and potential paths forward. Conclusions: The NCPTSD Model for Digital Mental Health provides an evidence-based and pragmatic approach for how digital mental health technologies can be optimized to improve the lives of veterans and members of the public who are living with the psychological consequences of trauma.