The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on June 4, 2008, an agreement between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the United States Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps to increase behavioral health services available to military service members, their family members, and veterans.
Many service members returning from armed conflicts are affected by behavioral health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, anxiety, flashbacks, and depression. A DoD-appointed Mental Health Task Force conducted a year-long study of the military mental health system, providing recommendations to DoD. The DoD responded to the recommendations in its 2007 report to Congress with plans to create the DoD-PHS agreement. On April 15, 2008, the DoD and PHS signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) establishing the DoD-PHS Partners in Mental Health: Supporting Our Service Members and Their Families initiative.
Behavioral health officers in the Commissioned Corps are detailed to military medical treatment facilities across the United States to treat service members who are returning from overseas deployment, as well as retirees and family members. Some officers are serving in North Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii, Georgia, and Alaska with the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Some of the services provided by Commissioned Corps officers include psychiatric counseling, family and group therapy, preventive and resiliency building services as well as consultation to the command on behavioral health concerns. To date, approximately 160 Commissioned Corps officers have been assigned to serve in 46 DoD facilities throughout the U.S.
“They wear the PHS uniform but provide care right beside DoD providers. It’s immediately relevant to our boots on the ground folks who have them or asked for them,” said Lt. Col. Hans V. Ritschard, USAF, BSC, who served as Director of the Psychological Health Strategic Operations Directorate in DoD’s Office of Force Health Protection and Readiness for the past two years overseeing the agreement.
The Commissioned Corps continues to actively recruit licensed behavioral health providers including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Officers will be assigned to specific locations within the United States for 3 years. After the initial 3-year period, extensions to remain in an assignment will be negotiated.
The Commissioned Corps offers a career path for behavioral health professionals who want to improve the quality of people's lives and make a difference in public health. The DoD-PHS initiative provides an opportunity for you to join the Corps and apply your expertise, knowledge, and skills to returning troops and their families. Commissioned Corps officers receive competitive compensation, including health and dental care at no cost, tax-free housing, 30 days of paid vacation a year, and a host of other benefits.
For more information about a career in behavioral health in the U.S. Public Health Service, visit the Behavioral Health Career and Benefits section. Specific job openings can be found at the following links:
