U.S. military rolling out targeted mental health care for service members

Washington — A new approach to assisting military personnel who have mental health concerns “helps people get the specific care they need in a timely manner,” a military health care provider says.

In a recent report, TRICARE, a government-sponsored provider, says targeted care begins with a screening assessment, after which service members are matched to the most appropriate means of care.

The previous practice of referring service members to behavioral health specialists for “any type of distress” often triggered long wait times for both health assessments and treatment, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Aaron Tritch, who heads the branch’s targeted care initiative, said in a press release.

With targeted care, “You can meet with or call a health care professional who will listen to what you’ve been experiencing, assess your needs and refer you to the best resource to get the help you need,” the report states, “whether it’s specialty mental health treatment at the outpatient behavioral health clinic, other clinical services, or a nonclinical support resource such as a military or family life counselor or chaplain.

“You won’t need a referral and you will never be turned away from specialty care.”

The Defense Health Agency conducted a targeted-care pilot program at 10 military behavioral health clinics from April to October 2023. The report notes that the pilot helped connect more than 2,600 people to “other medical or nonmedical counseling resources.” That represented about 40% of individuals who first contacted behavioral health clinics.

Targeted care is expected to be available in all military hospitals and clinics by next year, the report states.