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How Tech Advancements Support Military, Veteran Healthcare

Tue, 08/18/2026

How the VA is Using Technology to Support Veterans Behavioral Health

Experts from Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Innovation and Learning and Leidos discuss how AI-enabled tools are being used to connect data, people and platforms for faster decision-making and enhanced service member and veteran support in areas such a behavioral health.

Learn more about:

The broad range of VA’s support services and tools to help veterans manage behavioral health issues.
Defense health outreach programs aimed at supporting service members and their families.
How technology is helping serve underserved groups through virtual clinical and group experiences.

Featuring

Amanda Lienau Director of Open Innovation, VHA Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning
Amanda Lienau
- Director of Open Innovation
- VHA Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning
Amanda Lienau is the Director of Data and Analytics Innovation with the Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL). She has a primary focus of increasing meaningful use of information to increase access to care, improve equitable outcomes, and improve quality of life.

She has a passion for empowerment, equity, and engagement. She has training and experience in individual and systems change, prevention and holistic care, and health communication. Dr. Lienau has a PhD in Counseling Psychology from The Ohio State University.
Dr. Thomas Cantilina VP, Chief Health Informatics Officer, Leidos
Dr. Thomas Cantilina
- VP, Chief Health Informatics Officer
- Leidos
Dr. Cantilina currently serves as the Chief Health Informatics Officer (CHIO) for Leidos ensuring the integration of people, process and technology for all health solutions. He is board certified in family medicine and clinical informatics bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from multiple aspects of healthcare and information technology.

Recently retiring after 31 years of service in the AF, his last position was the Military Health System’s CHIO and the Deputy MHS EHR Functional Champion at the Defense Health Agency. In these roles, he worked to integrate the needs of clinicians and healthcare workers to increase digital health solution adoption, create a data driven enterprise, and transform care across the MHS, beginning with completing the implementation of MHS GENESIS.

Prior to the CHIO position he served as the commander of Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center, followed by a brief tour as the Special Assistant to the AF Surgeon General for the MHS GENESIS transition. His expertise in medical informatics was also used as the AF/SG representative to the National Library of Medicine Board of Regents.