Processing Emotions in Primary Care (PEPC) is a brief trauma-focused intervention designed to improve access to PTSD care within primary care settings. Interviews with rural Veterans Health Administration providers found that PEPC helps veterans begin treatment sooner and may reduce barriers related to stigma and specialty mental health access. Providers viewed PEPC as both a bridge to higher levels of care and, for some veterans, a sufficient stand-alone intervention. Findings highlight PEPC's potential role within stepped-care PTSD treatment pathways that match care intensity to individual needs.
Possemato K, Johnson EM, Wray LO, et al. The Patient Centered Medical Home: A Review of VA Efforts to Integrate Mental Health Services Into Primary Care. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. 2010. (Often cited in subsequent PE-PC/PEPC literature regarding PTSD prevalence and treatment gaps.)
Hale AC, Bohnert KM, Ganoczy D, Sripada RK. Predictors of Treatment Adequacy During Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for PTSD. Psychiatric Services. 2019;70(5):367-373
Bohnert KM, Sripada RK, Mach J, McCarthy JF. (2016). Same-Day Integrated Mental Health Care and PTSD Diagnosis and Treatment Among VHA Primary Care Patients With Positive PTSD Screens. Psychiatric Services, 67(1), 94–100.