Outpatient Mental Health

On February 3, 2016, U.S. Senators (Joni Ernst, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, Richard Blumenthal, and Julia Brownley) introduced the “Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act” bill (Congress.gov, 2016). The bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify evidence-based mental health care and suicide prevention programs that can effectively reduce suicide rates among female veterans. This is an important issue to address given that suicide is a significant problem affecting military service personnel. For instance, data have shown that of the 1.7 million veterans who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, 300,000 return with serious mental and psychiatric health issues such as major depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder

Mental health inequities cannot be overlooked. Approximately 50% of 6,287 women within the VA reported needing mental health services. 84% received care and of those, only 48.8% were

Rates of trauma and mental illness are reported to be disproportionately higher among American veterans, especially those of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The barriers to care after civilian reentry further disadvantage this already vulnerable population. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been the longest sustained US military operations since the Vietnam era, sending more than 2.2 million troops into battle and resulting in more than 6,600 deaths and 48,000 injuries. Veterans are at risk mental health challenges, as well as family instability, elevated rates of homelessness, and joblessness. Veterans have disproportionate rates of mental illness, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse disorders, depression, anxiety, and military sexual trauma.

The mean age for the participants in the study was 45. The study also took in account the time of service from the veterans, 60% served in the 1970's, 18% in the 1960's, and 18% in the 1980's (Carlson, Gavert, Macia, Ruzek, & Burling, 2013). The study includes veterans that suffer from personality disorders as well as alcohol abuse. Participants within the study are a mixture of races and come from various backgrounds. Included in demographic questions is if the veteran is divorced or married, which may also be a factor in this study. Additionally military branch information and associated was

For many years, the VA has offered health care to the men and women who have surrendered a large part of their lives to protect our nation. The VA has made great stride in providing specialized services to veterans such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and Mental Health treatment. In fact, the VA is leading the field on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research, but now that many of our men and women are returning home from war, the commitment that the VA made to provide accessible health services and a smooth transition from military life back to civilian life to these heroes and their dependents are not being granted in a timely manner. Studies show that suicide among veterans is the number one leading cause of death in the United States and

“The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is home to the United States’ largest integrated health care system” (Mason e.t. al 2016). Because of technological and medical advancement, surviving injuries from war has lead to a greater need for post deployment and discharge care. I often hear the phrase “Freedom is not free”; the mental health of our active duty soldiers and veterans is one area that ends up costing America. Some lose time with their families, some are injured physically and mentally, and some lose their lives.

(More Than Half of post 9/11 Combat Veterans Report Emotional Trauma). Post 9/11 veterans are also at higher risk to suffer from family strains or anger incidents which can often lead to homelessness. (More Than Half of post 9/11 Combat Veterans Report Emotional Trauma). The list goes on. While the percentage of people deployed in the military consists mostly of men, studies show that women who serve in the military are at higher risk for PTSD. (PTSD: National Center for PTSD). Women are more likely to be jumpy, have emotional troubles, and will definitely have a harder time dealing with things that remind them of war. (PTSD: National Center for PTSD). These episodes of jumpiness in anger in both women and men can ruin families, and sometimes even lives. If you ever see someone in public acting strange, before you make a judgement of that person and say to your friends: “look at

Disabled Women Veterans experience a large gap in services compared to their male counterparts. They experience large gaps in healthcare services, transition services, disability compensation, employment, and housing (Disabled American Veterans, n.d.). This gap leads to higher levels of stress and a high level of need among the Woman Veteran population. Little to no treatment groups exist specifically to the Woman Veteran population and the many challenges the population experiences, leaving them socially isolated. Disabled Women Veterans have many needs to address with disabilities ranging from psychological to physical. Their disabilities alone lead to the need for treatment that address their disabilities and the stress that comes with these

Many question women’s overall mental ability to handle the extreme circumstances during war. But the truth of the matter is that no human is immune to mental effects and trauma (Sisters in Arms). According to former Marine officer Jane Blair,“Post-traumatic stress disorder is an unfortunate consequence of war, especially for those who have served multiple deployments — and sadly, no gender is immune to it (Blair).” Blair makes a very clear argument about how men and women are all human and that we are all subject to discomfort from conscious decisions. Troops, whether it be male or female have no control over their mental state after seeing some of the harsh effects of war, whether it be a fallen friend in their batoon, or having to take the life of an innocent child in the wrong place at the wrong time. Things like this can have a powerful effect on any person, no matter their gender.

Currently, the United States military is drawing down from thirteen years of sustained combat operations in two different countries: Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Throughout this period of time, millions of veterans, as well as support personnel, have been deeply influenced by the dramatic effects of modern warfare. These individuals have knowingly and willingly sacrificed a tremendous amount – in thousands of cases, their lives. For those that do return, a vast number face difficulty regarding their mental health; however, this is not solely due to exposure to combat. As these individuals return home from the combat theater and separate from active duty military service, they often find

Bernardy, N. C., Lund, B. C., Alexander, B., Jenkyn, A. B., Schnurr, P. P., & Friedman, M. J. (2013). Gender differences in prescribing among veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of general internal medicine, 28(2), 542-548.

T. Stecker, J. Fortney, F. Hamilton, and I. Ajzen, 2007, address that mental health symptoms have the likelihood to increase within post deployment for military veterans, especially for the ones who have seen combat. An estimated quarter of recent war veterans who are currently receiving care in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Health Care System have reported mental health problems. Soldiers who have served in Iraq come home suffering from depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Statistics of Iraq soldiers meeting the criteria for depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is greater than the soldiers who served in Afghanistan. The mental health symptom rates for soldiers who served in Iraq were as high as 20% for PTSD, 18% for anxiety, and 15% for depression.

259). This shows that women veterans have high rates of mental health disorders and not all of them may be receiving the treatment needed to help them cope with their MST, PTSD, depression, eating disorders and drug abuse which is a problem because it leads to other problems in their lives such as becoming homeless, jobless, without friends or family and a whole host of other problems. One major issue that Weiss and DeBarber mention are the long-term emotional effects of MST as well as not feeling that women can trust anyone because they once thought they could trust the person(s) who sexually assaulted them but that turned out not to be true and now they feel that they cannot trust anyone because of their experience, (2013, p. 40). It must make the woman feel powerless to know that if they ever really needed someone to turn to, they no longer feel safe to go to anyone because they not only fear of going through MST again but they may also not want to give into the weak role generally placed upon

Outpatient mental health clinics usually offer a range of mental health services for adults, teenagers and children, including individual psychotherapy; family and couples therapy; group therapy; medication evaluation and consultation; and psychological testing. Unlike with inpatient treatment programs, the different outpatient services such as medical psychological and therapy are not provided in one

The presence of PTSD may account for an important component of the excess medical morbidity and functional status limitations seen in women with depression.