Mental Health

By MEDCOM for STAND-TO!May 3, 2011

Mental Health

What is it'

Army Medicine is committed to strengthening psychological resilience and improving the behavioral health of our Soldiers and their families. Overall, the total Army rate of Soldiers with a behavioral health diagnosis is consistent with that of the general U.S. population, at 5.9 percent vs 6 percent. However, the ongoing wars are having considerable impact on the population at large with higher rates within our wounded warrior population. The Army Medical Department offers an extensive array of behavioral health services to address the strain on Soldiers and families who have experienced multiple deployments and other demands of military life during this period of increased operational tempo.

What has the Army done'

The Army implemented the Comprehensive Behavioral Health System of Care Campaign Plan. This plan is intended to further standardize and optimize the vast array of Behavioral Health (BH) policies and procedures across the Medical Command to ensure seamless continuity of care to better identify, prevent, treat and track behavioral health issues that affect Soldiers and families during every phase of the Army Force Generation cycle.

The Army Medical Command currently supports over 90 behavioral health programs. In 2010, the Army provided an additional $168 million in behavioral health support to sustain implementation of over 45 behavioral health care initiatives under the categories of access to care, resiliency, quality of care, and surveillance across Army installations worldwide. The Army is also enhancing behavioral health services provided to its family members through Child, Adolescent and Family Assistance Centers and the School Behavioral Health Programs.

Since 2007, the Army has added 1,745 civilian, military and contract BH providers to help meet the needs of a stressed and growing force.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future'

The Army will continue to resource additional capacity through its Comprehensive Behavioral Health System of Care effort with an expected budget of $193 Million and is currently resourced through 2017.

Beginning in FY12, the Army will increase behavioral health teams assigned to all its brigade size operational units that will provide two behavioral health providers and two behavioral health technicians assigned to every Brigade Combat Team, Support Brigade and Sustainment Brigade in the Active, Reserve and National Guard Army inventory. This increase will be complete by FY17 and increase the total available uniformed behavioral health force by over 1,000 additional personnel.

Resource:

<a href="http://www.behavioralhealth.army.mil/" target="_blank"> Army Medicine Behavioral Health website</a>