Coaching Into Care: Veterans Affairs Telephone-Based Service for Concerned Family Members of Military Veterans.

Many veterans who need mental health treatment are reluctant to seek care, and their family members often do not know how to encourage them to do so. In 2011, a telephone-based service called Coaching Into Care (CIC) was developed to address this concern. Callers are provided with educational resources and referrals; in more complicated cases, callers are provided with up to 6 months of telephone-based coaching. This coaching of family members has been associated with an increase in veterans accessing mental health care. This program may serve as a model for community efforts to engage individuals in needed mental health care.