COPEWeb Training for Providers

PTSD and substance use disorders (SUD) are two of the most common and debilitating mental health conditions afflicting military Veterans. PTSD and SUD frequently co-occur and are associated with poorer treatment outcomes. The investigators' team developed a trauma-focused intervention, Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), which is identified by the VA as a gold standard of behavioral healthcare and was designated as a first-line treatment in the 2025 APA Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD. However, a critical barrier to ensuring that Veterans with co-occurring PTSD/SUD receive evidence-based treatment is a lack of provider training. This project directly addresses this critical gap by developing a new web-based training program for providers (COPEWeb).

Inclusion Criteria: * currently a provider in a behavioral health field (e.g., psychology, psychiatry, counseling) * English speaking * able to consistently obtain reliable internet access * willing to attend a 2-day "live" in-person (or virtual) COPE training if randomly assigned to that condition * willing to engage in a standardized patient assessment after training * has no prior formal training in the COPE therapy Exclusion Criteria: * received prior training in COPE * not a provider in the behavioral health field * non-English speaking * lack of reliable internet access * younger than 18 years old