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@Lori Murphy serves as a Senior Social Worker at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) where she is involved with the VA Compassionate Care Corps. 

Tell us about the work that your organization does. What is your mission and what population(s) do you serve?

The mission of the VA is "To fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors."

Please tell us about the goals of the program you are involved with and how you support social engagement?

I am so thrilled to be involved with the VA's Compassionate Contact Corps which is a social prescription program matching trained VA volunteers with Veterans feeling socially disconnected. The volunteer calls their matched Veteran once a week to provide friendly conversation and companionship. The program's vision is to engage Veterans who are feeling lonely through meaningful connections. Our goal is to reduce Veteran loneliness and promote a healthier, more engaged Veteran population.

Share one of your top achievements or a success story.

A Veteran in Florida had become isolated—he stayed home all day and had minimal interactions with people. He was referred to the Compassionate Contact Corps and was matched with a volunteer for weekly phone calls. Over time, with encouragement from his volunteer, this Veteran gained the confidence and energy to get out of the house. He is now dating, participating in water sports, eating healthy foods, and overall reports feeling happier since connecting with this social prescription program.

Evaluations of the program found that 83 percent of Veterans enrolled in Compassionate Contact Corps say it's helped them feel less lonely, and 82 percent of volunteers say the program has increased their own well-being.

Why is promoting social connectedness important to the community/population you serve? Why and when did you start incorporating social connectedness into your programming?

Compassionate Contact Corps was developed in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and rapidly advancing issues of isolation and loneliness. However, there were efforts even before the pandemic to implement social prescriptions into VA care. Research has estimated that half of U.S. adults feel lonely, and studies specifically focused on Veterans have similar findings. Chronic loneliness leads to increased risk for stroke, dementia, depression, and even suicide. Loneliness is the fifth most common reason Veterans call the Veterans Crisis Line at 15.8 percent. VA recognizes the impact social determinants of health have on Veterans' overall well-being. As VA promotes a Whole Health model of care, implementing social prescriptions is another way we can reduce social determinants to in turn reduce overall health risks.  

Any exciting projects coming up?

We started our clinical evaluation of Compassionate Contact Corps in January. This two-year research study will evaluate if enrollment in the program reduces loneliness, feelings of isolation, and utilization of emergency room, Veterans Crisis Line, and primary care services.

Do you have tips for others looking to increase the social connection and engagement programming or a key resource you can share?

We have successfully replicated Compassionate Contact Corps from the eight original VA sites to over 70 sites across the country. Building relationships and partnerships is key for program growth and sustainment. I encourage folks to get out there and network with others doing similar work in your community, state, and on a national level. There is a fantastic coalition of professionals working to increase social connection.

VA is a great resource for folks looking to engage with Veterans. Pathfinder is a website for individuals, businesses, organizations, or institutions to submit innovative ideas to improve Veteran care: https://pathfinder.va.gov/.

Do you have any recommended reading for others interested in this topic?

The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Loneliness offers an excellent summary of the research and recommendations on this topic.

How can others connect with your work? Do you have a project website?

The best way to connect with me is by email, lori.murphy@va.gov. Also please visit our project website: https://www.volunteer.va.gov/ccc.asp.