WACH behavioral health team strengthen relationships with civilian counterparts

Weed Army Community Hospital
Story by Jalonda Garrison

Date: 06.20.2018
Posted: 07.30.2018 15:58
News ID: 286359
WACH behavioral health team visit local network

The National Training Center’s mission is to provide tough, realistic joint and combined arms training for units prior to their deployment overseas. During a unit’s two week intensive training at NTC they are exposed to scenarios modeled after their “worst day ever” in combat. Due to stressors of training in such an austere environment there are times a Soldier may need to step back and seek mental health service from trained professionals.

Weed Army Community Hospital has 19 behavioral health providers, however there is limited capabilities when it comes time to provide inpatient services to our service members. Coordinating inpatient behavioral healthcare is a critical part of the mission and assuring that civilian facilities meet the highest standards ensures that the best care possible is being provided.

“I serve those who serve to make sure they are well taken care of and their dependents are well taken care of,” said Mary Lunetti, Behavioral Health Nurse Case Manager at WACH.

Desert Parkway Behavioral Healthcare Hospital is a private, high quality, acute psychiatric facility located in the center of Las Vegas, Nevada. Since DPBHH first opened with 83 inpatient beds it has expanded its services to now include over 152 beds. Services provided for Fort Irwin’s TRICARE beneficiaries are behavioral and psychiatric inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs and chemical dependency intensive outpatient programs.

DPBHH is constructing an 1100 sq. ft. fitness facility which aligns with the Army’s Performance Triad Model of sleep, activity and nutrition to build and sustain personal strength, endurance, and mental agility. DPBHH is the only inpatient facility to provide readily available medical transport capabilities to and from its facility for permanent staff and rotational Soldiers and beneficiaries stationed at the National Training Center. Additionally, they are in the process of planning and developing a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Protocol Program tailored to the unique needs of our service members.

“This is the hallmark of DPBHH’s dedication to our service members with innovative, creative, and outside the box thinking. This engagement and approach is also aligned with Regional Health Command-Central Commander’s Top Priorities [enhancing individual and unit READINESS] and [coordinating the care of Soldiers that are treated in a local network]. We at WACH not only talk it, but certainly embody and WACH it,” said Porter.

At WACH, providing state of the art medical care to ensure our patients are cared for medically and cared about personally is a top priority, resulting in a Medically Ready Force and Ready Medical Force. http://www.irwin.amedd.army.mil/index.html