CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — A team at the UNC School of Medicine is teaming up with federal defense officials to test a method for dealing with stress and mental health challenges.
UNC is receiving $5 million dollars from the U.S. Department of Defense to test a stress intervention method called “iCOVER,” and it’s already being used in other countries, including Canada, Israel and the U.K.
Dr. Sam McLean with the UNC School of Medicine tells CBS 17 it’s a 20 to 30 second process that could help servicemembers deal with a teammate who is struggling.
“[I] Connect to you, develop some kind of connection, I review a few simple facts with you, get you back in the moment, say ‘Hey, you know, it’s you and me,’” said Dr. Sam McLean with the UNC School of Medicine.
Defense officials are relying on UNC and other civilian trauma centers to determine if it would be effective for our troops in the future.
“Does it help, actually, because if it’s not, we want to give our servicemen and women what actually works,” McLean said.
UNC tells CBS 17 the trials will start early next year and should take a couple of years to complete.
