Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Jacob Sippel | 190529-AW702-002 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 29, 2019) - Capt. Tracy Skipton, Naval...... read more read more
More local services will be available for active and retired military service members and their adult family members, with the planned July opening of a new inpatient behavioral health unit at Naval Hospital Jacksonville. The inpatient unit will complement the hospital’s existing outpatient services.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the U.S. More than 50 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in life, with one in five experiencing a mental illness in a given year.
“Our new behavioral health unit offers a tremendous addition to our clinical capabilities. It’s a state-of-the art facility, staffed by professionals, and meticulously designed to meet the needs of our patients,” said Capt. Matthew Case, NH Jacksonville’s commander. “The goal is to get our service members healthy and well, so they can continue meeting the mission.”
Service members and their families tend to experience increased stress situations, whether from the rigors of deployment or balancing military and family obligations.
The new eight-bed inpatient unit focuses on the care and recovery of active duty, as well as adult family members and military retirees. “We have specialized knowledge of the military population, from combat-related triggers, to the family stresses of PCS moves, to the best treatments to keep patients on active duty,” noted Capt. Tracy Skipton, a psychiatrist and NH Jacksonville’s mental health director.
For example, while there’s typically multiple medications that can be effective for a given condition, some of those medications could jeopardize the deployability of a pilot or submariner. “We focus on treatments that help our patients recover in a safe, caring environment and also help keep them on the job whenever possible,” Skipton emphasized.
Good mental health ensures that service members are mission-ready, are prepared to deal with the unique stresses of deployment, and are equipped to identify when they need help.
The new inpatient unit augments a robust system of outpatient care at NH Jacksonville. The current core system includes: behavioral health consultants that are integrated in primary care clinics; outpatient individual and group therapy; an intensive outpatient program; medication management; psychological and neuropsychological assessments; the option of virtual visits for follow-up care (live visits with a provider on the patient’s smartphone, tablet, or computer); and a Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program. The Deployment Health Center, at the hospital’s Branch Health Clinic Jacksonville, offers pre- and post-deployment care for the readjustment of service members who return from combat and other operational deployments. There are also behavioral health providers embedded with some ships and submarines.
To tap into resources, patients can talk to their primary care manager (904-542-4677 at the hospital, or 904-546-7094 for active duty at Branch Health Clinic Jacksonville), the hospital’s behavioral health clinic (904-546-6351), BHC Jacksonville’s Deployment Health Center (904-546-7099), the hospital’s health benefits advisors (stop by or call 904-542-9164/9165), the Military Health System’s 24/7 Nurse Advice Line (call 800-TRICARE / 800-874-2273 or chat at MHSNurseAdviceLine.com), a command chaplain, or Fleet and Family Support Center.
Psychological strength (like physical strength) is critical to readiness and is something that sailors, Marines, and families can build. Tactics include: find time for yourself (improve sleep habits, try yoga or meditation, participate in enjoyable activities); break down obstacles (break challenges down into small steps and tackle one at a time); improve physical conditioning (regular physical training strengthens the muscles and the mind); avoid alcohol and substances (in order to manage stress, sleep, relationships, and responsibilities); and identify people to turn to when in need (a friend, family member, chaplain, or health care professional).
Learn about building resilience from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc) and Real Warriors (www.realwarriors.net). Confidential support is available 24/7 at the Military Crisis Line (for current and former service members, their families, and friends): call 800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1, text 838255, or chat at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net. There’s also a Be There Peer Support outreach center, staffed by veterans and military spouses. Call 844-357-PEER (7337), text 480-360-6188, or chat online 24/7 at www.BeTherePeerSupport.org.
Effective treatments and interventions are available for depression, situational stressors, and other health problems.
Mental health treatment works, and recovery is possible.
Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville deliver quality health care, in an integrated system of readiness and health. NH Jacksonville includes five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. It serves 163,000 active-duty and retired sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, guardsmen, and their families, including about 83,000 patients who are enrolled with a primary care manager. To find out more, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.14.2019 12:30 |
| Story ID: | 327486 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 624 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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