Next Steps in Supporting Military Families: Mental Health

Tomorrow, on Veterans Day, we as a nation will unite to honor the men and women who have served in America’s armed forces. Unfortunately, many of our soldiers and their families do not get the supports they deserve for so bravely serving our country. At the same time, long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have put a greater strain on military personnel and their families alike.

This week I will focus on issues facing Veterans and their families, specifically the problems that often put roadblocks in the way of social mobility. Up first: mental health care.

It is estimated that 1.5 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Check out some of these statistics from this report by the IAVA:

• Multiple tours and shorter times between deployments increase the likelihood of combat stress by 50 percent.
• 27 percent of soldiers report that they are currently planning a divorce.
• Two-thirds of veterans report they have family adjustment problems.
• Increased deployments have lead to an increase in child abuse.
• 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were treated at the VA for substance abuse problems.
• The suicide rate for active duty soldiers is at the highest level in 26 years.

While one in three Iraq veterans will face sever psychological injury only about half will seek medical care. One reason is in the military, and society at large, mental illness still caries a stigma. On Saturday the AP reported:

Despite efforts to reduce the stigma of getting treatment, officials say they fear generals and other senior leaders remain unwilling to go for help, much less talk about it, partly because they fear it will hurt chances for promotion.

That reluctance is also worrisome because it sends the wrong signal to younger officers and perpetuates the problem leaders are working to reverse.

But reluctance among service members is not the only reason. The systems in place to catch and treat mental health issues are failing:

Instead of screening returning troops through a face-to-face interview with a mental health professional, the DOD relies on an ineffective system of paperwork to conduct mental health evaluations. There are significant disincentives for troops to fill out the forms accurately, and those who indicate they need care do not consistently get referrals. In addition, access to mental health care is in short supply. According to the Pentagon’s Task Force on Mental Health, the military’s “current complement of mental health professionals is woefully inadequate.” Moreover, 90 percent of military psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers reported no formal training or supervision in the recommended PTSD therapies.

Effective treatment is also scarce for veterans who have left the military….The veterans’ mental health system is simply overwhelmed by the influx; waiting lists now render mental health and substance abuse care “virtually inaccessible” at some clinics, according to the VA’s own experts. The VA has exacerbated the shortage by consistently underestimating the number of new veterans who would need care, and by failing to spend millions earmarked by Congress for mental health treatment.

President-elect Obama has pledged to improve mental health care for service members and their families. The new administration has an ever growing list of challenges to tackle in January, but this is one that mustn’t be overlooked. President Obama should use his bully pulpit to reduce the stigma that still clings to mental illness. He should also work with mental health care providers across the nation and ask them to donate their time and services to helping our wounded troops.