The Mental Health Self-Assessment Program (MHSAP) is a mental health and alcohol screening and referral program. It was designed for military families and service members affected by deployment and recruitment. This voluntary and anonymous program is offered online, by phone, and through special events held at installations and reserve units. Anonymous, self-assessments are available to help people with various problems and conditions. Some conditions they help veterans, soldiers and their families with are the following: 

• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Alcohol abuse or using alcohol to cope with your problems
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Generalized anxiety disorder

Individualized results and military health resources, including TRICARE, Vet Centers, and Military OneSource are provided at the end of every assessment. Individuals can bring the results of their online or in-person assessment with them to a healthcare provider. If you are interested in participating in this program, want a free assessment or if you wanted to learn more about the program, you can visit www.MilitaryMentalHealth.org or call their toll free number 1-877-877-3647.  

What does this program offer?

National Alcohol Screening Day Kit – Designed as a health fair style event, materials include a kit of educational brochures, screening forms (the AUDIT), scoring instructions, and a “how to” guide to help run and promote an event. In addition, this kit contains promotional material that directs participants to the online and phone screening. This kit serves 500 people. A Spanish kit is available for 50 participants.

National Depression Screening Day Kit – Designed as a health fair style event, materials include a kit of educational brochures about posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder. Also included are screening forms, scoring instructions, and a “how to” guide to help run and promote an event. In addition, this kit contains promotional material that directs participants to the online and phone screening. This kit serves 500 people. A Spanish language kit is available for 50 participants.

Family Resiliency Kit – Materials designed to educate family members about coping with the stress of deployment, how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health problems in themselves and their family members, and where to get help. The Family Resiliency Kit is perfect for Family Readiness Groups, Chaplains, and other groups helping military families throughout the deployment cycle.

Customized Online Screening – If any individual military installations, National Guard or Reserve Units are interested in using this program to help their soldiers and families all they have to do is contact Mental Health Self-Assessment Program (MHSAP) and request to add information about local or installation treatment and support services to their own version of the online self-assessment. The Mental Health Self-Assessment Program (MHSAP) said that they would be more than happy to link their info to any customized version. It can be placed directly on the unit/installation’s website. Referral page can include specific information about their Chaplain, mental health professionals, or local support resources. To do this all you have to do is contact them with the request for a personalized web-based self-assessment for your unit/installation/organization. This organization is a positive program that frequently works with other military organizations or affiliations with one goal in mind to help the soldiers and their family get back on their two feet so they can live a happy, healthy, and productive life. Something we all want for everyone, especially our soldiers and their families – the men and women who have given so much to this country.

It is my sincere hope that everyone in our nation will gather this Independence Day to reflect on the value and importance of our freedoms, as well as the patriotic fight to maintain those freedoms by the men and women who have served and sacrificed as members of our nation’s Armed Forces.

I am truly thankful to all our veterans and soldiers who have risked and sacrificed their lives for this country. They have dedicated their lives to ensure our safety, provide us with the opportunity to live as a free country and have helped millions of people here and around the world who are in need. Sometimes we all take for granted these wonderful gifts and do not realize the sacrifices our veterans made in order to maintain these privileges for us. Not every country gets to be free, feel safe, and live in the comforts of home we so often take for granted. 

Let us all stop for a moment and make a promise to ourselves. The next time we meet a soldier on the street or in the grocery store, stop and thank them for the service they provide to us and for this country. Take a moment to leave a message or comment on our board with two simple words “Thank You.”

By the dedication and patriotism of our nation’s veterans and service members, I would like to offer my gratitude to those who have worn the uniform.
On this Independence Day, enjoy this summer celebration and remember to thank those who have defended our continued independence and thank them for their service, dedication, and strength in defending this country. I would like to thank you for making a difference, giving us our independence, and providing our nation with all necessities we need to continue to be one of the strongest and most giving nations in the world. Happy 4^th of July!

Are you aware that hundreds of thousands of veterans are refused treatment for injuries and illnesses they suffered while in combat?

Statistics are showing that 120 soldiers are taking their lives each week. Suicide has become an epidemic, but the government does not want to talk about it.  

Advocates are demanding to see records so the proper help can be administered before it is too late. Veterans Affairs and Government Agencies are ignoring requests.  No one is showing records or numbers and the government is making believe that this problem does not exist.

Beyond the individual loss, it turns out little information exists about how widespread suicides are among those who have served in the military. There have been some studies, but no one has ever counted the numbers nationwide.  Why?  The reason is that they do not want the true numbers of casualties to really be known.  I do not know about you but this makes me furious as an American citizen.  Something needs to be done now before it is too late. 

The veteran’s rights groups are accusing The Department of Veteran Affairs of not doing enough to stem a looming mental health crisis among veterans. As part of the lawsuit, internal e-mails raise questions as to whether top officials deliberately deceived the American public about the number of veterans attempting and committing suicide.

Attorneys for veterans’ rights groups accused the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs of nothing less than a cover-up – deliberately concealing the real risk of suicide among veterans.

Advocates for veterans strongly believe that the system is in crisis and unfortunately, the VA is in denial.

Horrific cases of suicide are happening each day.  Here are a just a few cases told by the families of these brave soldiers.

Twenty-three-year-old Marine Reservist Jeff Lucey hanged himself with a garden hose in the cellar of this parents’ home – where his father, Kevin, found him.  “There’s a crisis going on and people are just turning the other way,” Kevin Lucey said.

Kim and Mike Bowman’s son Tim was an Army reservist who patrolled one of the most dangerous places in Baghdad, known as Airport Road.
“His eyes when he came back were just dead. The light wasn’t there anymore,” Kim Bowman said. Eight months later, on Thanksgiving Day, Tim shot himself. He was 23.

Diana Henderson’s son, Derek, served three tours of duty in Iraq. He died jumping off a bridge at 27.

Video: 18 Veterans A Day Are Committing Suicide

http://bubble-cast.com

The Warning Signs

Here is a list of resources for how to find help and recognize the warning signs of mental health issues that could also be warning signs for suicide.

Talking about wanting to hurt themselves

Talking about wanting to kill themselves

Trying to get guns

Trying to find ways to harm themselves

Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide

Hopelessness

Rage, uncontrolled anger

Acting in a reckless or risky way

Feeling trapped, like there’s no way out

Saying or feeling there’s no reason for living

Calling old friends, particularly military friends, to say goodbye

Cleaning a weapon that they may have as a souvenir

Obsessed with news coverage of the war, the military channel

Wearing their uniform or part of their uniform, boots, etc

Sleeping more (sometimes the decision to commit suicide brings a sense of peace of mind, and they sleep more to withdraw)

Becoming overprotective of children

Standing guard of the house, perhaps while everyone is asleep staying up to “watch over” the house, obsessively locking doors, windows

If they are on medication, stopping medication and/or hording medication

Hording alcohol — not necessarily hard alcohol

Spending spree, buying gifts for family members and friends “to remember by”

Defensive attitude like “you wouldn’t understand.”

When they stop making eye contact or speaking with others

What to Do You If You Think Someone Is Having Suicidal Thoughts

Ask questions:

“Are you thinking about killing yourself?”

“Have you ever tried to hurt yourself before?”

“Do you think you might try to hurt yourself today?”

“Have you thought of ways that you might hurt yourself?”

“Do you have pills/weapons in the house?”

This will not increase the person’s suicidal thoughts. It will give you information that indicates how strongly the person has thought about killing him- or herself.

If you think the person might harm him- or herself, do not leave the person alone.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK. You will be connected to the nearest available crisis center

Or go to SAMHSA’s Mental Health Services Locator http://mentalhealth.com/samhsa.gov/databases/

Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator http://dasis3.samhsa.gov

Organizations That Can Help

VA’s suicide hotline at (800) 273-TALK (8255)

www.mentalhealth

http://dasis3.samhsa.gov

To find the closest Dept of Veterans Affairs facility to you that have mental health professionals, go to http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1 and type in your zip code to find veteran clinics near you.

What we do as individuals?

Create Petitions and send them to your local council and/our government

Write letters to the media

Write to your local newspapers

Create blogs

Call your local TV stations

Create an advocacy group

They survived the war, but they are not surviving civilian life.  Soldiers are suffering from emotional problems due to the horrific events they have witnessed in war and something needs to be done now for these American heroes. The horrors of what they experienced from the war are destroying their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

The veterans fought to protect us, now we need to fight for them and make sure they get the help they need before it is too late.

“The price of freedom is very high, we as a nation often time forget but to the family and friends of the men and women who pay the price they never forget.” – Quoted by Fred Rendon

Visit this advocate site:  http://www.veteranshelp.com/

List Compiled by: Stacey Chill

We receive questions about military benefits and support groups all the time. So, in order to make things a little easier for you, we decided to compile a list of non-profit and government organization that may be able to help out with a variety of needs. Don’t forget to check out Veteran Care Giver and Veteran Aid for additional support. Their information can be found in previous articles we’ve written.

For the record, we firmly believe that it takes more than a few links to provide quality care for our veterans. However, for our part, it’s a start in the right direction.

Army

Army Community and Family Support Center. The Army Community & Family Support Center serves as the headquarters for Army MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation).

Army Family Action Plan. The AFAP program seeks input regarding critical issues that affect the well being of soldiers, Army families, retirees, and DA civilians. All components are included–active duty, Army National Guard, and Army Reserves. AFAP issues are solicited directly from Army constituents through annual conferences convened at installations, major Army commands, and HQDA. The results from AFAP conferences are reported to leaders who ensure the issues are worked toward resolution.

The Army’s Well Being Division. The Army’s Well Being Division provides a central source of compiled human dimension data (both objective and subjective) with the commensurate analytical capability to inform Human Capital Strategy, policy and program decisions and to provide assessments of issues related to the well-being of the force. AWBD is a key measurement tool for senior Army leadership, providing the capability to use metric analyses and assessments to inform Strategy, policy, Core Enterprise Activities, Task Force operations and Army Staff Action Plans

Army Family Team Building. Army Family Team Building is a volunteer-led organization which provides training and knowledge to spouses and family members to support the total Army effort. AFTB’s mission is to educate and train all of America’s Army in knowledge, skills, and behaviors designed to prepare our Army families to move successfully into the future.

Navy

LIFELines. The LIFELines Service Network provides online resources in areas such as deployment readiness, family support, transition assistance and MWR.

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Headquarters. The Navy MWR administers a varied program of recreation, social and community support activities on U.S. Navy facilities worldwide. Their mission is to provide quality support and recreational services that contribute to the retention, readiness and mental, physical, and emotional well-being of sailors and their families.

Navy Family Ombudsman Program. This site is dedicated to support the volunteers who comprise the Naval professional Ombudsman team. This includes Ombudsmen, Ombudsman Assembly members and Naval Services Family Line staff.

Navy Services FamilyLine. Naval Services FamilyLine is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for every sea service family. This is achieved by answering questions from spouses about the military lifestyle, referring spouses to organizations which may be able to assist them, publishing and distributing free booklets and brochures which contain very helpful information, and developing successful educational programs for the sea service spouse.

Family Support and Relocation. Provides a comprehensive resource for sailors and their families enabling them to access information about the Navy communities in which they reside or to which they may be relocating

Air Force

Air Force Crossroads. Crossroads is the official community website of the U.S. Airforce. This site provides information on numerous topics including Air Force installations, family separation and readiness, medical and dental, and relocation.

Air Force Services. Air Force Services exists to provide combat support to commanders directly in support of the Air Force mission. They also provide community service programs that enhance the quality of life for Air Force members and their families. These programs indirectly support the mission by improving morale, productivity, and retention. They offer a full range of military and community support programs at most major Air Force installations.

Marines

Marine Corps Family Readiness Conference. Recognizing the family as one of the “pillars of readiness,” the U.S. Marine Corps held a Family Readiness Conference at Marine Corps Base Quantico July 11-13 in Virginia. Family members, Marine Corps leadership and support organizations from all over the world came together to discuss the challenges of today’s military lifestyle. The conference highlighted the unique programs offered to Marines and their families, as well as provided a forum for people to share ideas and suggestions for improving those programs. The initiatives and changes discussed will be brought forward to the Commandant and Marine Corps Community Services leadership for consideration and implementation.

Marine Corps Community Services. MCCS exists to serve Marines and their families wherever they are stationed. MCCS programs and services provide for basic life needs, such as food and clothing; social and recreational needs; and even prevention and intervention programs to combat societal ills that inhibit positive development and growth.

Marine Corps Family Team Building. This service provides educational resources, services and a roadmap to the Marine Corps lifestyle to foster the personal growth and enhance the readiness of Marine Corps families.

Marine Corps Locator.

Coast Guard

Coast Guard Ombudsman. The Coast Guard Ombudsman is a Coast Guard spouse who serves as a member of the Command, and functions as a liaison between families and the Commanding Officer.

National Guard

Army National Guard Family Readiness Program. The mission of this program is to: help bond Guard families together and promote a sense of comradeship; relay vital information from the Director and the Family Readiness Program in order to lessen the feeling of isolation and convey the Director’s concerns for the well being of Guard families; aid Guard families in better understanding the mission of the ARNG; keep Guard families informed about activities sponsored by the Director and /or the Family Readiness Program; and provide an avenue for Guard families to share some of the common rewards, or tensions and frustrations of military life.

National Guard Bureau Family Support. In the aftermath of the Cold War, members of the Guard and Reserve are being called to active duty to an unprecedented extent. In recent years we have repeatedly called reservists to duty involuntarily for missions in Bosnia, Kosovo and Southwest Asia. Contingency operations like these have placed enormous strains on our service members and their families. This site provides information on the steps the NGB is taking to enhance family support and readiness.

The National Guard Family Program Community. The National Guard Family Program helps military personnel and their families prepare for deployment. This site offers useful information on topics such as education, employment, benefits, financial and legal issues.

Reserves

Guide to Reserve Family Member Benefits. This guide provides an overview of military benefits and how to access them. It identifies eligibility requirements associated with some entitlements and provides guidance for obtaining assistance on specific questions and problems.

Army Reserve Family Program. This site provides information on family program support offices, reserve family member benefits, family readiness handbooks, and reserve family news.

Navy Reserve Ombudsman Online. The Reserve Ombudsman provide a volunteer force who is able to offer support and guidance to families.

National Guard & Reserve Family Readiness Strategic Plan. Prepared by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs and the Office of Family Policy (within the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Personnel Support, Families and Education) this plan seeks to ensure that reservists and their families are prepared to cope with the strains associated with long or repeated deployments and are adequately served by military family care systems, networks and organizations.

Air Force Reserve Family Readiness. Families of deployed reservists will be assisted and supported by the Family Readiness office. The types of deployment assistance services the family can expect include: family support groups, reunion information, and volunteer opportunities.

Marine Corps Reserve Community Services. Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) is the byproduct of merging the Corps old Morale, Welfare, and Recreation and Human Resources programs and tailoring them to better meet today’s needs in personal and family readiness. MCCS is designed around five essential, required capabilities: Marine Corps Family Team Building, Personal Services, Semper Fit, Business Operations, and General Support. Marine Forces Reserve, due to the Forces unique challenges, will focus on the first three.

U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. This page has been designed to aid the Coast Guard Reservist, their families, and employers to better understand the benefits and nature of reserve service.

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. This site is dedicated to today’s Reserve force. It provides information about the policies, programs, and initiatives that OSD/Reserve Affairs manages for the National Guard and Reserve Components of the United States Armed Forces. This includes family support/readiness issues.

All Services

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. This office is directly responsible for programs and policies which establish and support community quality of life programs on military installations for service members and their families worldwide. This office also serves as the focal point for coordination of the broad range of Quality of Life issues within the Department of Defense.

Military Assistance Program. MAP is sponsored by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Military Community and Family Policy. This site offers information and tools for military members and their families in family support areas such as relocation, employment, and financial management. The site also provides a database to locate your nearest family support center.

Military Community Programs. Family support is an integral part of the Department’s strategy to maintain a ready force. Studies show family satisfaction with military life is a major determiner of retention. Often, family support is the lifeline for families in an unstable environment during deployments, frequent moves, and long work hours. This site provides information on DoD’s programs for family support.

Military Family Research Institute. The primary mission of the Military Family Institute is to conduct scientifically sound research focusing on military families. This research will enable the Department of Defense to better understand, serve, and enhance the lives of military families, and thus contribute to the strength of the Nation by increasing readiness and retention in the Armed Forces.

Military Teens on the Move. This site features a chat room, bulletin board, and other resources and information for military teens around the world to assist them with relocating and other teen issues.

National Military Family Association. The mission of NMFA is to serve the families of the seven uniformed services through education, information, and advocacy. The Association has been and is dedicated to identifying and resolving issues affecting families of the Uniformed Services through research, education, legislation, and public information.

Military.com. Site discusses all the benefits of military service.

Military One Source. A one-stop shop for information on all Service.

Entitlements

Defense Finance and Accounting Service. DFAS provides information on military entitlements, as well as general information on pay rates, per diem, taxes, etc.

DoD Special Report – It’s Your Move. This special report provides information on service member entitlements and responsibilities concerning shipment of household goods, unaccompanied baggage, boats, pets, POV’s, etc.

Operation Joint Guard. In addition to normal pay and allowances Active duty and Reservists called to active duty in support of Operation Joint Guard in Bosnia-Herzegovina have access to several entitlements.

Locator Services

Navy Directory Service. This service allows you to search for Navy personnel. While the Navy cannot divulge home addresses, they will provide command information.

Marine Corps Locator. To locate active duty Marines contact the Marine Corps World Wide Locator, Quantico, Virginia.

American Red Cross. If you need to contact a military member for emergency purposes, please call your local Red Cross chapter. You may find your local Red Cross chapter telephone number by visiting the Red Cross web site, clicking on “Your local Red Cross” and entering your zip code.

Legal Resources

Navy Legal Assistance. The Navy Legal Assistance Office provides legal assistance services to Active Duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard, and their dependents. Assistance is provided to retirees as resources permit. Among the services provided are adoption, consumer issues, landlord-tenant issues, military rights and benefits, domestic relations and powers of attorney.

Marine Corps Staff Judge Advocate. The Staff Judge Advocate’s Web site provides the Marine Corps with a central source for legal information on immigration, taxes, consumer and economic matters, estate planning, family and domestic matters, real estate, and military rights and benefits. Legal assistance is available in several locations, including Albany, Barstow, Cherry Point, Hawaii, Miramar, Quantico, and Yuma, among others.

U.S. Coast Guard Legal Assistance. The U.S. Coast Guard Legal Assistance Web site has information on consumer and contract matters, creditor and debtor relations, family law, adoption, real estate, taxes, wills and estate planning and the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act. The site’s “Find a Lawyer” service also provides referrals by Coast Guard district to legal assistance attorneys.

Department of Justice Freedom of Information Act Office. The Department of Justice Freedom of Information Act Office (FOIA) provides an overview as well as an electronic version of the Privacy Act of 1974. There are also instructions for making a FOIA request, a reading room, reference guide and principal FOIA contacts at federal agencies.

Legal Information Institute. This Cornell Law School Web site provides information on legal topics ranging from commercial transactions to accident and injury compensation to courts and civil procedure. It also has links to court opinions and legal bulletins as well as a directory of lawyers and organizations.

International Law. The United Nation’s Web site on international law is a useful source of information on treaties, law of the sea, International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. The information on this Web site is offered in several languages.

Education

Military Child Education Coalition. The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) is a non-profit organization based in Texas. MCEC serves military families, military bases and posts of all services, and the supporting school districts of these bases and posts, working to ease the transitional issues military children face when moving from school to school. The MCEC recently produced, for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Secondary Education Transition Study, which deals with the extra challenges that face high school students who have a parent in the military. Information on the MCEC Web site is helpful to children, parents, educators, and military services.

Afghanistan Deployment Information for Health Care Providers

Redeployment Health Screening – A one-page primer for health care providers who see Service members at the time of their redeployment from Operation Enduring Freedom. An introduction to the health screening process.

Deployment Related Illnesses – A two-page primer for health care providers who see Service members and veterans at other times after their redeployment from Operation Enduring Freedom. Contains general post-deployment health information and a table of alerting symptoms and signs of illnesses that may be related to this deployment.

Iraq Deployment Information for Health Care Providers

Redeployment Health Screening – A one-page primer for health care providers who see Service members at the time of their redeployment from Operation Iraqi Freedom. An introduction to the health screening process.

Deployment Related Illnesses – A two-page primer for health care providers who see Service members and veterans at other times after their redeployment from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Contains general post-deployment health information and a table of alerting symptoms and signs of illnesses that may be related to this deployment.

Change is good, but not everyone likes it. Many individuals fear change and the thought of beginning a new life in a new environment scares the heck out of them. So how do you overcome the fear of change?

These are more than just questions. These are real life choices that we all have to make.  Below are some helpful tips and advice to help you overcome your fears of change. Fear can become our biggest enemy, but only if we let it.

 
1. Focus on the positive aspects: Focus on the possibilities and envision something good coming from them. No matter what actually happens, choosing this mindset everyday will help you diminish your fear of uncertainty in any type of change you need to tackle. 

2. Take Charge: Whether you have to take on new responsibilities, learn a new skill, or adapt to a job, change forces choices. Each new choice forces you to look at what you want for yourself. Ask yourself, how far are you willing to go to achieve your goal. Do I want to be a leader for a follower? Leaders achieve big rewards and recognitions follows tend to hide in the woodwork even though they do the same amount of work and GET NO RECOGNITION. Don’t be a follower.  Be a leader.  That’s what you were taught to do. 

3. Create a plan:  Use this time to make a plan for yourself. Every new plan takes a lot of time and work, but if you have a plan you will feel a lot less stress. Try making lists. Write down your over all objective, for example where you see yourself in a year to 5 years, and spell out attainable goals to help get you there. Be detailed.

4. Take a good look at yourself: No matter what changes you are facing in the life the biggest changes are coming from within yourself. Are you becoming set in your ways or difficult or are you venturing out of your comfort zone to try new things? Take a good look at yourself. Change is unavoidable. You will learn your most valuable lessons in life from them.

Making changes can cause new opportunities and new successes, but you will never know or have the chance to succeed if you do not try. You can only fail if you never bother trying.