SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- Mental health is just as important as your physical health. A mental health condition is experienced by 1 in 4 individuals at some point in their lives, but they do not seek assistance because of the fear of being labeled unfairly.
For Soldiers, civilians and contractors working for the Army who have a national security clearance or access to sensitive information, the stigma of losing access prevents those individuals from seeking the help they and their families deserve.
Security clearances are not denied for seeking help.
Pro-actively seeking counseling is a positive indicator and often mitigates security concerns. Less than 1% of security clearances are denied or revoked due to psychological concerns. Clearances are more likely to be denied due to excessive debt, substance misuse, violent acts, sexual misconduct, arrests and security violations.
Individuals with a security clearance are required to report:
- Hospitalization or court administrative ordered treatment
- Being declared mentally incompetent
- Diagnosed with psychotic disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, bipolar mood disorder, borderline personality disorder, or antisocial personality disorder
- Any mental or other health condition that substantially adversely affects your judgment, reliability, or trustworthiness
Reporting is not intended to discourage anyone who may benefit from seeking treatment. A mental health diagnosis, in and of itself, is not a reason to revoke a security clearance.
Counseling for marital issues (except when domestic violence is involved), grief concerns, or treatment for PTSD has to be reported only when your judgment, reliability, or trustworthiness is substantially adversely affected by the condition.
Report information concerning mental health to your local security manager. Resources and assistance is available via your chaplain, the Employee Assistance Program (800-222-0364), Substance Abuse/Mental Health (800-662-HELP), or National Suicide Prevention (800-273-TALK).
Mental health matters! Families matter, YOU matter. Reach out!
The Intelligence and Security Command Security Operations Center (ISOC) enhances Army readiness by providing an operational enterprise capability to receive, analyze, and oversee the mitigation of derogatory information on record against a Soldier, civilian or contractor. ISOC provides support to security professionals, commanders, and senior leaders with compliance of reporting regulations and procedures.
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