Learning from mental health provider perspectives about Veterans Affairs community living center mental health integration and teamwork during the pandemic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires integrated mental health (MH) services across programs, including 132 facility nursing homes (community living centers, CLCs). As part of a national survey of CLC MH providers in the fall of 2022, which aimed to characterize CLC MH practice patterns and service integration, information was also shared regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in CLC. The aim of this article was to present qualitative feedback from CLC MH providers regarding MH service integration and interdisciplinary teamwork in the CLC during the pandemic. Response rate to the entire survey was 48%. Out of the 107 survey participants, 82 responded to open-ended survey questions; of these, 71 (87%) were psychologists, and 11 (13%) were psychiatric providers. This analysis focuses on presents two major themes: (a) impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CLC MH providers, staff, and veterans and (b) importance of team morale and functioning. In their feedback, CLC MH providers emphasized the importance of broad stakeholder engagement, including MH providers, in addressing a public health crisis in ways that optimize person-centered care, strong interdisciplinary team functioning, and support from leaders. Findings highlight the importance of MH integration in the nursing home setting, especially during times of crisis such as the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).