AboutFace, VA National Center for PTSD

CASE STUDY

BrennSys partners with the VA National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD) to produce, build, and run AboutFace, the VA’s flagship stigma-reduction platform where Veterans, family members, and clinicians share how PTSD treatment can transform lives. We own the full lifecycle, from multimedia production and website development to content strategy and distribution.

AT A GLANCE

Client: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD)

Platform: AboutFace, a Veteran PTSD documentary website

Contract type: Federal

Status: Active

Scope: Video production, website development, Drupal CMS migration, site redesign, Section 508 compliance, content and educational materials, social media, YouTube channel management

Delivery model: Full production lifecycle, 508-compliant delivery, Drupal CMS migration, multi-channel distribution

Recognition: Work on AboutFace and related NCPTSD projects has contributed to ADDY, eTSY, Telly, and Healthcare Advertising awards

The challenge

NCPTSD needed one partner to scale a sensitive, high-visibility federal platform without losing the authentic tone that makes it work.

AboutFace videos feature Veterans sharing personal experiences with PTSD. Every production requires careful recruitment, consent, trauma-informed interviewing, and editorial review with clinical stakeholders. Deliverables also have to align across NCPTSD clinical leadership, VA communications, subject matter experts, and the Veterans and family members who appear on camera.

At the same time, the scope kept growing. The contract expanded to include a CMS migration to Drupal, a full site redesign, expanded educational materials, and social media content, all while video production and website maintenance continued without interruption. Every piece of content had to meet Section 508 standards, including closed captioning, audio description, accessible documents, and WCAG-aligned web design.

The stakes were trust and reach: the platform exists to reduce stigma and help Veterans, families, and clinicians understand that treatment works.

Our approach

We built an integrated delivery model that unifies multimedia production, web development, and content strategy under a single project management structure.

1. Own the full lifecycle. One partner handles production, web, and content, eliminating vendor handoff delays, keeping brand and message consistent, and giving VA a single point of contact for all AboutFace operations.
2. Put participants first. Trauma-informed protocols guide every step, from recruitment and pre-interview planning through on-set environment design and post-production review, so participant well-being comes first while stories stay authentic and impactful.
3. Build in compliance from the start. Section 508 requirements are embedded in production and development workflows, including captioning, audio description, accessible information architecture, and WCAG-aligned front-end code.
4. Absorb new scope without disruption. When VA added CMS migration, site redesign, and expanded social media requirements, we took on the work without slowing active production or lowering quality.
5. Cross-train for continuity. Key personnel are cross-trained across production, web, and content functions, giving built-in redundancy during peak periods and protecting delivery timelines.

What we delivered

The work spans three areas, from original media creation through web infrastructure and ongoing content distribution.

1. Media production. Pre-production planning, location scouting, subject recruitment coordination, and interview preparation with NCPTSD clinical staff; professional video and audio recording, lighting, set construction, on-location direction, and multi-camera capture of Veteran, clinician, and family member interviews; post-production editing, audio mixing, color correction, closed captioning, audio description, motion graphics, and QA; short-form clips and promotional assets for VA social channels and the AboutFace YouTube channel.
2. Web development and technology. Full migration of the platform to Drupal, including content migration, template development, and QA testing; information architecture overhaul, UX/UI redesign, and front-end development; ongoing maintenance covering bug fixes, feature enhancements, performance optimization, and security updates; Section 508 testing and remediation across all web content, documents, and multimedia.
3. Content and educational materials. Original website content, including topic pages, user guides, and educational resources developed with NCPTSD subject matter experts; print and digital guides and fact sheets supporting the VA’s behavioral health education mission; YouTube publishing, metadata optimization, and channel maintenance for the AboutFace video library.

Results and impact

NCPTSD gets a single, accountable partner delivering accessible, high-quality content on schedule and on budget.

• Quality. All multimedia meets VA production standards and Section 508 requirements, with a structured QA process covering editorial accuracy, captioning, audio description, color correction, and accessibility before delivery.
• Timeliness. Consistent on-time delivery across simultaneous workstreams; when scope expanded mid-contract, new deliverables were absorbed into existing timelines without disrupting active production.
• Partnership. Regular stakeholder briefings, open communication, and proactive problem-solving have built a collaborative relationship with NCPTSD leadership.
• Stable teams. Low turnover and deliberate cross-training keep video, web, design, content, and social media functions running without gaps.
• Cost control. Detailed resource planning, transparent expenditure reporting, and proactive scope management keep deliverables within budget; when requirements change, we work with VA to realign resources without sacrificing quality.
• Recognition. Our work on AboutFace and related NCPTSD projects has contributed to ADDY, eTSY, Telly, and Healthcare Advertising awards.

bottom line

This engagement shows we can run a sensitive, high-visibility VA platform end to end: trauma-informed video production, Drupal development, Section 508 compliance, and multi-channel content, all under one roof and on schedule. For Veterans, families, and clinicians, that means a current, accessible, and compelling resource that reduces the stigma around PTSD and shows how treatment can change lives.