COPEWeb Training for Providers (COPEWeb)

August 3, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Web-Based Provider Training for Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPEWeb)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (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).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Background: PTSD is the most common mental health disorder among Veterans seeking treatment at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, and more than half of Veterans with PTSD also meet criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). To address the critical need for PTSD/SUD treatment, members of the investigative team developed Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), an evidence-based, integrated, trauma-focused treatment identified by the VA as a gold standard of behavioral healthcare. Randomized controlled trials among Veterans demonstrate COPE's efficacy in significantly reducing PTSD and substance use. The majority of Veterans with PTSD/SUD prefer integrated treatment. Significance/Impact: At present, there is a critical shortage of clinicians trained to deliver COPE. Traditional in-person workshops are inefficient and costly. A poll of VA PTSD/SUD Specialists across the country found that 96.9% are interested in receiving COPE training and 99.1% would use a web-based training for COPE if available. A web-based resource for providers is ideal, as it can be rapidly disseminated, is easily accessible, and provides a significant amount of information in a standardized way. This project will directly address this critical gap in provider training to improve the care of Veterans with comorbid PTSD/SUD, enhance treatment delivery using innovative in-session provider assistance tools, and enhance knowledge of cost-benefit of technology-enhanced training. COPEWeb may be particularly useful for providers in rural clinic settings where mental health training is less accessible. This proposal has the potential for high military relevance and an immediate impact on dissemination and uptake of COPE, as well as a long-term impact on the overall health of the millions of Veterans suffering from co-occurring PTSD/SUD. Innovation: A new web-based provider training for COPE will be developed along with a highly innovative provider assistance toolkit to guide clinicians in real-time during sessions to enhance delivery and fidelity to the protocol and reduce provider burden. A panel of national VA experts and dissemination leaders will develop a best practice VA dissemination guideline on disseminating web-based provider trainings. The proposed project has the potential to significantly enhance provider training and increase patient access to evidence-based care. Furthermore, COPEWeb has the potential to serve a novel role in disaster planning to ensure mental health care providers are equipped to address the anticipated post-pandemic needs of Veterans given the rise in post-traumatic stress and alcohol/drug use during the pandemic. Specific Aims: This project aims to 1) develop a new web-based training protocol and innovative delivery aid system to strengthen providers' delivery of COPE to treat Veterans with PTSD/SUD with a high level of fidelity and competence, and 2) compare the COPEWeb training to in-person training on measures of knowledge, satisfaction, and behavior (i.e., fidelity). The cost effectiveness of web-based vs. in-person training will be examined. Methodology: The proposed methods and timeline for the development of COPEWeb are based on the team's prior success developing other widely-used provider training protocols (e.g., PEWeb, CBTIWeb). COPEWeb will be built and refined over the course of three strategic phases: content development, alpha-testing, and beta-testing. Following beta testing, the investigators will compare COPEWeb to in-person training among clinicians. Ongoing assessment will obtain qualitative and quantitative data on measures of provider satisfaction, knowledge, and behavior. Implementation/Next Steps: In collaboration with the investigators' operations partners, VA leadership, and EBP Coordinators, COPEWeb will be rapidly disseminated to mental health providers to increase adoption of evidence-based treatment for PTSD/SUD and improve the quality of mental health care for Veterans and the nation.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
248

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29401-5703
        • Recruiting
        • Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Sudie E. Back, PhD
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

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

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: COPEWEb
online COPEWeb training
Behavioral: COPEWeb online training
COPE training delivered via online COPEWEb to providers
Active Comparator: COPE In person
COPE training delivered in person
Behavioral: COPE In Person
COPE training provided in person to providers

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
IBM Computer Usability Satisfaction Questionnaires (CSUQ)
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 8 weeks
The CSUQ is a 19-item Likert-type (7-point [strongly agree to strongly disagree]) questionnaire that provides an overall usability satisfaction score along with subscales that measure program usefulness, information quality, and interface quality. The CSUQ measure and subscales have good reliability, sensitivity, and validity.
Through study completion, an average of 8 weeks
COPE Knowledge Acquisition Test (CKAT)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to study completion, an average of 8 weeks
The CKAT will be completed at pre- and post-training. The 20-item measure will be scored and the percent of items answered correctly (rated from 0 to 100% correct) will be assessed. Higher scores represent greater knowledge.
Change from baseline to study completion, an average of 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
VA Office of Research and Development

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Medical University of South Carolina
National Center for PTSD

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sudie E. Back, PhD, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 11, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 5, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 13, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 31, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 13, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IIR 21-005

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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