Source: https://www.acadiacareers.com/us/en/military-at-acadia-healthcare
For many years, the behavioral health needs of veterans and active-duty military service members were an underappreciated aspect of their overall well-being. That has changed as awareness grows about the psychological challenges military service presents, including the trauma of combat, the stress of long deployments, and the difficulties of transitioning to civilian life. It’s an area where Acadia Healthcare, the largest stand-alone behavioral health company in the United States, focuses specialized services.
The Acadia Healthcare Service Resiliency Unit is designed to work as a resource for the men and women who have made personal sacrifices to safeguard the nation. The SRU team provides services to help active-duty service members, veterans, and their families who grapple with substance use, behavioral health disorders, and other challenges.
The Acadia Healthcare SRU connects patients from the military community who face mental health disorders or behavioral health concerns with facilities across the U.S.
The Acadia Healthcare SRU works with active-duty service members and veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, Army National Guard, Air National Guard, the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service, and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
For those who have served, behavioral health care is a matter of improving quality of life and, in severe cases, a critical factor in survival. It’s an issue impacting more people than ever. There are currently about 18 million veterans and 2.1 million active-duty and reserve service members of the U.S. military.
“A lot of veterans don’t know where to start when it comes to getting help,” Meredith Johnson, associate vice president of the SRU at Acadia Healthcare stated in an interview with Behavioral Health Business.
How Acadia Healthcare Works With Active-Duty Service Members and Veterans
The Acadia Healthcare SRU program includes a network of SRU liaisons who work closely with service members and veterans. Once they understand each person’s needs, the liaison directs them to a treatment provider who can “address their specific needs and empower them to achieve their personal and professional goals,” according to the Acadia Healthcare website.
Once a service member or veteran begins treatment, the liaison maintains communication with the facility and ensures family members are well informed of their loved one’s progress. The referral network includes facilities approved by Tricare, the U.S. Department of Defense health care program that provides coverage for service members, veterans, and their families.
Why Behavioral Health Services Are Important for Active-Duty Military and Veterans
Military service, with its unique challenges and intense demands, often leaves a profound impact on the behavioral health of service members and veterans. They may face trauma, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder due to experiences in combat zones, separation from family, and the high-stakes nature of their service.
In designing its military-focused programs, Acadia Healthcare took these issues into consideration. The company wrote that it “recognizes and honors the sacrifices that members of the military make to help maintain our country’s freedoms.
“We also have a deep understanding of how military experience can put individuals at a greater risk for developing mental health, behavioral health, and addiction challenges.”
For veterans, the transition from military to civilian life can be tough. Many experience feelings of isolation, identity loss, or difficulties in adjusting to new environments. For these reasons, accessible and effective behavioral health services can be critical to ensuring their well-being.
Proper behavioral health care can help service members and veterans process their experiences, manage stress, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Early intervention increases the chances of avoiding long-term behavioral health struggles, reducing the risk of substance abuse, and improving relationships with family and friends.
A recent study published on the National Library of Medicine website noted the importance of health care organizations addressing this issue.
“Health care providers can enhance the quality of care they provide patients and potentially save their lives by comprehending the relationship between military service and a patient’s physical and mental well-being,” researchers wrote.
Signs of Behavioral Health Issues for Veterans and Military Members
Behavioral health and substance use disorders can impact the quality of life. They can lead to difficulty working, maintaining relationships, and enjoying activities patients may have loved to do in the past.
Signs of potential behavioral health problems include difficulty in concentrating, frequently reliving traumatic events, or recurring thoughts about death and suicide, according to the Rand Institute, which conducted an in-depth study of behavioral health issues for military members and veterans. For some, these feelings fade with time. For others, they don’t, and could be signs of potential behavioral health challenges that require professional intervention.
Rand also compiled statistics on some of the issues expressed by military members. They included findings that 48% experienced strains in family life, 47% experienced bursts of sudden anger, and up to 15% experienced depression.
The Acadia Healthcare military programs page notes that focusing on behavioral health is just as important as focusing on physical health.
“An untreated mental health or substance use disorder can cause significant damage to your overall well-being and can potentially affect your ability to function in everyday life,” the page says, later adding that the SRU provides services that “can be especially helpful for individuals who are looking for highly specialized care provided by professionals who are trained in working with members of the military.”
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