Commanders and supervisors are responsible for protecting the privacy of those who do seek mental-health treatment and services. Image: Alex_Po/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffAt the order of Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the Navy and Marine Corps have begun implementing provisions of the Brandon Act, which is aimed at providing better mental-health services to those in uniform who need them.
The act gives Sailors and Marines the power to seek mental health care and services from medical and non-medical providers. Military treatment facilities would provide the medical services. Non-medical services would be offered through fleet and family support centers, Marine Corps Community Services, chaplains, military and family life counselors, and deployment resiliency counselors. Civilians can get help through the Civilian Employee Assistance Program.
“Maintaining the privacy and confidentiality for team members who seek care, and promoting the process for self-referrals can significantly reduce service member concerns around seeking help,” Del Toro said. “We have a duty to normalize mental health conversations and focus on mental fitness with the same determination we use to foster physical health.”
Provisions include that commanders and supervisors are responsible for:
· Ensuring that service members are taught to know how to request a referral for a mental health evaluation.
· Making sure that those who do seek referrals are put in contact with a provider as quickly as possible.
· Treating all mental-health referrals in a manner comparable to those for other medical services.
· Making sure that those who do seek mental-health treatment and services have their privacy protected. Any stigma would be minimized because commanders would not ask for mental-health providers to disclose examination and consultation results unless they are in accordance with DTM-23-005, the Defense Department regulation that addresses when such disclosures would be appropriate.
· Getting the appropriate training that would enable recognition of circumstances in which personnel could pose an imminent danger to themselves or others.
“Seeking help is a sign of strength,” said Capt. Christine O’Connell, the acting director of the Navy’s Office of Force Resiliency. “It requires courage, vulnerability, and a deep understanding of our own humanity. It is a powerful act that fosters connection and ultimately propels us toward personal and collective growth.”
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