USC Military and Veterans Programs - MVP

09/30/2026

Published in March 2026, this article examined factors that impact risk for su***de in US veteran men and veteran women.

Can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2026.2648345

09/17/2026

08/18/2026

Congratulations to USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work PhD students, Aubrey Sutherland, Justin Lee and Vanessa Goncalves, on their accepted poster presentations at the 2026 American Psychological Association (APA) conference in Washington DC! Their presentations spanned the topics of su***de, food insecurity and social support and purpose in veteran populations.

07/27/2026

Sara Kintzle, research professor in the USC Military and Veterans Programs - MVP at was part of the committee behind a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that makes recommendations to improve the disability evaluation process for military sexual trauma.

Approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 50 men report having experienced sexual trauma during their service in the military and many survivors experience related health problems, but can experience challenges pursuing disability benefits. This report makes significant new recommendations to both Congress and the VA. Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/yd4pbrjp

07/27/2026

This article provides firsthand accounts of the combat experiences of Ukrainian soldiers, emphasizing the psychological toll of their exposure to morally injurious events during modern combat operations.

Can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2026.2623595

06/18/2026

Recent publication by MVP's Dr Sara Kintzle examines exposure to su***de and its impact on veteran mental health.

You can access the the manuscript at : https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000997

06/16/2026

Listen in on Dr. Ashley Schuyler's interview with MVP's Dr. Sara Kintzle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAecSUrLKxE

Dr. Schuyler, Community Health Innovation and Resource Project's CSO, discusses Dr. Kintzle's research on loneliness and su***de in the veteran population.

10/09/2025

Check out the latest podcast for Listen.Up.People.! MVP's Carl Castro and Sara Kintzle discuss caring for veterans and military families. You can listen at the link below!

dworakpeck.usc.edu/podcast

04/28/2025

The MVP RAND-USC Epstein Family Foundation Center for Veterans Policy Research hosted the National Guard Research Summit on April 8th-9th, 2025, in collaboration with the University of San Diego. The goal of the event was to work towards building a coalition of researchers interested in advancing knowledge related to the experiences and well-being of those who serve in the National Guard.

The event brought together a small group of individuals to discuss the state of National Guard research, opportunities for research collaboration, and current advances in the field. Over the day and half summit, attendees combined their experience and expertise to discuss gaps and limitations in literature related to National Guard service members.

The event was led by Sara Kintzle, Research Professor, with the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Military and Veterans Programs and Nicholas Boyd, Assistant Professor at the University of San Diego and Director of Clinical Training for Counseling with VA San Diego Healthcare System. Kintzle and Boyd will spearhead the follow-up work of the group in expanding research efforts exploring experiences and overall well-being of National Guard service members, as well as retention and readiness of the Guard.

We’d like to thank Daniel J. Epstein and the Epstein Family Foundation, whose generous support made this event possible!

03/31/2025

Sara Kintzle, Research Professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, has been appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on the Assessment of Department of Veterans Affairs Physical and Mental Health Examinations and the Department’s Schedule of Rating Disabilities for Disability Compensation Claims Related to Military Sexual Trauma. The committee will undertake a congressionally mandated comprehensive review of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) protocols for examination of individuals who submit claims for mental and physical conditions linked to military sexual trauma (MST), and the training and credentials of those performing the examinations.

Read more at the link below!
https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/news/sara-kintzle-receives-prestigious-national-appointment