FORT SILL, Okla., Sept. 29, 2016 -- Throughout September Reynolds Army Community Hospital (RACH) has focused on efforts at Fort Sill that promote Suicide Prevention Month.
Our last article highlighted the story of two Soldiers who found help through the Behavioral Health Clinic, but how do our leaders and mental health professionals help Soldiers who either do not want help or do not voluntarily seek help?
For over a year the RACH Behavioral Health Department has fielded embedded behavioral health teams (EBHT) to our warfighting units on post. Fort Sill has two of these teams that provide behavioral health care to the 31st Air Defense Artillery and the 75th Field Artillery brigades. These teams consist of a psychiatrist, psychologists, social workers, a nurse case manager, as well as social service and medical support assistance and active-duty behavioral health technicians.
"Our mission team is to provide ongoing behavioral health care to the brigades we are aligned with," said Terry Martinez, team supervisor for EBH Team B which is aligned with the 31st ADA Brigade. "We work for the command, in the past Soldiers from the same unit would see different behavioral health providers in different locations which prevented us from detecting trends within a particular unit. Our proximity and involvement with Soldiers and commanders has increased our effectiveness in treating behavioral health issues or concerns sooner than later, without compromising the Soldier's personal health information. With the behavioral health professionals now embedded, we have been able to remove communication barriers that allow us to optimize Soldier behavioral health readiness."
The team works as a special staff for the brigade, which enables communication between the command teams and the health care providers to be near instantaneous.
"The team is to be in the footprint of their unit and keep their command team updated on behavioral health readiness," Martinez said. "We want to be proactive not reactive, especially with the emphasis on suicide prevention and awareness this month it has never been more important that our team, as always, assesses for high-risk behavior that may impede the brigade's mission."
"It is critical that we have a great relationship with our assigned units to be successful and provide the behavioral health care our Soldiers need," continued Martinez, "our Soldiers know us and trust us so they feel comfortable coming to us with any problems or issues."
In December leadership on Fort Sill attended a Soldier readiness campaign which discussed the behavioral health teams that, at the time, had been in place just a few months.
"Last year, several incidents on Fort Sill identified certain gaps that existed between medical professionals and command teams," said Lt. Col. John Urciuoli, RACH deputy commanding officer. "Installation leaders wanted to take the time for the enablers to speak to all command teams and allow them the opportunity to provide feedback and address any concerns that they may have."
With the EBH teams now in place for over a year, command teams and medical providers have expressed their support and praise for the teams.
"The embedded behavioral health team is a tremendous help to the battalion, both deployed and in the rear detachment." said Lt. Col. Matthew Dalton, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery commander. "They are proactive in dealing with Soldier care and are completely tied in with the battalion's monthly risk reduction board; allowing commander's to make informed decisions about their Soldiers and ensuring we are taking appropriate action when we see indicators and warnings. Additionally, the EBH team helps to transition redeploying Soldiers from downrange to obtain the appropriate level of care."
Martinez echoed Dalton's praise of the team's redeployment operations.
"Our team is also a main player when Soldiers are deployed and return back to Fort Sill due to behavioral health concerns," Martinez said. "We will track Soldiers from their point of exit downrange to other medical stops, whether it is Germany, Walter Reed or Joint Base San Antonio. Once arriving to Fort Sill the Soldier will be assigned a behavioral health provider and will be assessed for and receive behavioral health care."
The EBH team also works close with brigade surgeons as part of the command leadership team.
"Mr. Martinez and EBH Team B are exceptionally valuable resources to the Forces Command assets at Fort Sill. Their care and concern contribute greatly to readiness, mission success, and overall Soldier well-being," said Maj. Keith Messenger 31st ADA brigade surgeon.
"As with the Army as a whole our priority is Soldier readiness," said Martinez, "We want to not only prevent suicides but help our Soldiers with any behavioral and mental health issues that they may have. We are grateful for the support we have from all the command teams and look forward to continue our mission here at Fort Sill."
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