EDC Chosen to Redesign Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Support Tool for Veterans

EDC has been selected by the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD) at the Veterans Administration (VA) to redesign, build, and maintain a new tool to assist U.S. military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EDC’s work on the new tool continues its long record of developing innovative health tools and resources for our nation’s Veterans, including the VetChange website and PTSD Coach Online.

Over the next five years, EDC will develop, test, launch, and maintain a new version of PTSD Treatment Decision Aid, a Web-based tool that helps users learn about effective PTSD treatment options. EDC will partner with Urban Emu, a user experience and software design firm, in the project.

“Since 2017, the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid has both educated patients and empowered them to be active participants in their care,” says EDC managing project director Athi Myint-U, a public health and instructional design expert who is leading the project. “Redesigning this resource with current best practices in mind will ensure that it continues to support people on their journey toward healing.”

An estimated 6% of all people in the United States and 7% of Veterans will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives. Deployment increases the risk of PTSD for Veterans, with some studies showing that PTSD rates are three times higher among Veterans who were deployed.

To date, the current PTSD Treatment Decision Aid has been a popular resource, with 214,482 people using it in 2022 alone. In redesigning the tool, EDC and Urban Emu will use human-centered design principles and conduct user testing to create an experience that Veterans find encouraging, engaging, and safe. The redesigned PTSD Treatment Decision Aid will also include new videos, resources, and features, and it will be updated for use on mobile devices. The new version is expected to be released in July 2025.

Explore other EDC initiatives focused on Veterans: Women Veterans in STEM; Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance Center; and PTSD Coach Online.