Military

Military Turns to SMH for Voluntary Mental Health Screening Program

The new Mental Health Self-Assessment Program is a voluntary, anonymous mental health and alcohol screening and referral program provided to military families and service members affected by deployment or mobilization. It is provided by Screening for Mental Health with funding from the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Health Affairs and is available to all military personnel and families from every branch, including the National Guard and Reserves.

The program has two components. The first is an online screening offered 24/7, available at www.MilitaryMentalHealth.org. It provides immediate results and referrals to services provided by the military or Veterans Affairs. The second is the provision of NDSD Mental Health Screening and National Alcohol Screening Day kits to 300 military units so that they can conduct in-person awareness and screening events.

The reality is that families of combat troops “go to war” just as surely as those who ship out. The stress of maintaining a home, taking care of children, and maintaining civilian jobs can have serious psychological ramifications. The screening is aimed at helping these family members recognize when they need to ask for help, hopefully before the problem becomes urgent.

“Following the commonly known “airplane rule” of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping children or other family members is good advice in times of war,” says Douglas Jacobs, MD, SMH President and CEO. “If you don’t take care of yourself you can’t be there for anyone else. It is important to understand what you are feeling and when to seek support. A simple self-assessment might start the process for a struggling military spouse.”

The screening is also aimed at troops, who historically find that psychological problems manifest after they return home. A recent Pentagon study led by Col. Charles W. Hoge from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research reveals that 19% of soldiers and Marines who returned from Iraq met the risk criteria for a mental health concern on a mandatory health survey called the Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA), required of all returning veterans immediately upon return.

“Our hope is that the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program assists families and service members in examining their own emotional states, decreases the stigma associated with seeking help for emotional problems, and clarifies what is normal and what is not. Screening for Mental Health is proud to offer this program to the families and military personnel who are serving their country,” says Jacobs.

The disorders addressed through the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program are depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use. For more information, visit the Military Home Page.