Campaign Use to Increase Treatment Initiation in US Veterans Transitioning From Military Service

Objectives. To test if public messaging increases treatment initiation in US veterans at risk for suicide within the first 3 years following military separation. Methods. MiliStories, a campaign featuring 4 brief video-based messages targeting the decision to seek treatment, was tested in a remote clinical trial in the United States from December 2022 to June 2025 with a random sample of treatment-naïve veterans endorsing moderate psychological distress (n = 355). Participants completed baseline assessment by telephone and were randomized to the intervention or to a waitlist control. Participants were exposed to messaging each week through a mobile app for 1 month. Follow-up assessments were collected at 1 and 2 months. The primary outcome was the initiation of mental health treatment. An intent-to-treat analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations with a logit link function comparing the odds of initiating treatment between intervention and control. Results. Participants receiving the intervention were nearly twice as likely to enter treatment as the waitlist control at 2-month follow-up. The number needed to treat was 15. Conclusions. Messaging may hold promise to engage vulnerable populations during transition from military service. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print August 20, 2026:e1-e10. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308627).