Department of Defense Announces New Policy on Disclosure of Mental Health Treatment for Military Personnel
Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday announced a new policy that seeks to reduce the stigma for military personnel who seek mental health treatment, the Washington Post reports (Scott Tyson, Washington Post, 5/2). Under the policy, military personnel will no longer have to disclose any service-related treatment that they have received when they apply for security clearance. Many military personnel do not seek mental health treatment because of concerns about the loss of their security clearance, the effect on their careers and embarrassment, according to a recent report that prompted the policy change (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/1).During a press conference on Thursday, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asked military leaders to discuss their mental health problems as an example for other personnel. He said, "It's time for leaders of all stripes to step forward," adding, "You can't expect a private or a specialist to be willing to seek counseling when his or her captain or colonel or general won't do it."
Col. Loree Sutton, head of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, said, "We can change the policy, we can talk about how important it is. Ultimately, troops and families, they want to see leaders walking that talk" (Washington Post, 5/2).
Sutton added, "I've talked with a number of (senior leaders) already and we already have folks who are standing up and ready to come forward and tell their story." In addition, she said that the center has begun to develop a national campaign to discuss treatment, establish support networks and address other issues related to mental health problems for military personnel (Jelinek/Baldor, AP/Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5/1).
Treatment for Brain Injuries
Veterans who served in Iraq and experienced traumatic brain injuries have not received adequate treatment and job assistance, according to a report released on Thursday by the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Veterans Affairs, the AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. For the study, researchers tracked 52 veterans who received treatment for traumatic brain injuries at VA health care facilities during a seven-month period in 2004.
Among the 41 veterans who agreed to interviews, 10 said that they did not receive the help they required to obtain treatment, vocational rehabilitation, family support or housing, the report found. In addition, 18, or 44%, of the 41 veterans said that they had a "problem" with anger, and 21, or 51%, said that they received adequate counseling and support for their behavioral or emotional problems, the report found. The report also found that at least eight of 49 veterans "we contacted had significant unmet needs and no evidence of VA case management" in the past year.
The reported included a response from VA, which acknowledged the problems with treatment for veterans with traumatic brain injuries but cited the implementation of new systems to "ensure that all veterans with TBI are being followed as their clinical needs require" (Yen, AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 5/1).
The report is available online (.pdf).
Mental Health Bill
In related news, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Wednesday introduced a bill (S 2939) that would order DOD to implement a program that would coordinate mental health treatment and support services for National Guard members and reservists, New House/Springfield News reports.
The legislation would require DOD to establish a Joint Psychological Health Program through the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program at the National Guard Bureau. In addition, the bill also would allow veterans who do not live near VA health care facilities to receive mental health treatment over the telephone or through video conferences.
According to New House/News, "guardsmen and reservists have previously been left out of coverage for mental health problems that often strike years later" (Moriarty, New House/Springfield News, 5/1).
Broadcast Coverage
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Friday reported on the new DOD policy. The segment includes comments from Gates (Inskeep, "Morning Edition," NPR, 5/2).
PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" on Thursday reported on the policy and other issues related to mental health treatment for veterans. The segment includes comments from Gates and Mullen (Bowser, "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," PBS, 5/1). The program also included a discussion about mental health treatment for veterans with Sutton; Terri Tanielian, a researcher at RAND; and Jason Forrester, director of policy for Veterans for America (Brown, "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," PBS, 5/1).
NPR this week also featured two reports related to health care at Army medical centers. Headlines appear below.
- "Army Hospitals Struggle To Stop Drug Overdoses" (Shapiro, "Morning Edition," NPR, 5/1).
- "Injured GI's Care Reflects Army's Uneven Progress" (Shapiro, "Morning Edition," NPR, 5/2).
