Readiness of Soldiers and Adult Family Members Who Receive Behavioral Health Care Identifying Promising Outcome Metrics / Kimberly A. Hepner [and four others].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hepner, Kimberly A., author.

Contributor:

Roth, Carol Pindar.

Krull, Heather.

Xenakis, Lea.

Pincus, Harold Alan, 1951-

Arroyo Center.

Rand Corporation.

United States. Army.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Families of military personnel--Services for--United States--Evaluation.

Families of military personnel.

Soldiers--Mental health--United States.

Soldiers.

Soldiers--Mental health.

Families of military personnel--Services for.

Evaluation.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxii, 92 pages ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, CA : RAND, [2021]

Summary:

Behavioral health (BH) conditions-such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety-are the second most common medical reasons for nondeployability in the U.S. Army. The authors of this report aimed to identify promising metrics to assess readiness among soldiers and adult family members who receive BH care. These metrics would expand the Army's outcome monitoring, which currently includes symptom improvement metrics, for patients who received BH care. The authors developed rigorous criteria to evaluate candidate readiness metrics, conducted interviews with stakeholders (Army subject-matter experts and BH providers), reviewed existing sources of data that could support the development of a readiness metric, and conducted a literature review to identify instruments that have been used to measure readiness-related domains in both military and civilian populations. The authors found that no existing data source or patient self-report instrument met criteria for implementation of a readiness metric for soldiers, but one instrument, the Walter Reed Functional Impairment Scale (WRFIS), is promising. No existing data source or patient self-report instrument met criteria for Army-wide implementation of a readiness metric for adult family members. Stakeholders reported that psychiatric symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and impaired functioning are important indicators of lack of readiness among soldiers and adult family members. BH providers reported variability in assessing readiness and applying profiles, but behavioral experts provided suggestions for improving readiness assessment. The authors recommend that the Army conduct a pilot evaluation of a soldier readiness metric based on the WRFIS and increase standardization in applying profiles by continuing provider training.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: Overview

Behavioral Health Needs of Soldiers and Their Families

Rationale for Identifying Readiness-Related Outcome Metrics

Monitoring and Improving the Quality of Behavioral Health Care

The Army's Efforts to Monitor and Improve Behavioral Health Care

Organization of This Report

Criteria for Evaluating a Readiness Metric

Perspectives of Army Behavioral Health Experts and Behavioral Health Providers

Review of Existing Data Sources

Search of the Literature to Identify Instruments for Readiness Metrics

Conceptual Indicators of Readiness

Provider Approaches to Assessing Soldier Readiness

Summary

Evaluation of Existing Data Sources

Results of the Search to Identify Potential Instruments to Measure Readiness

Results of Supplemental Search

Behavioral Health Expert and Provider Views on Improving Readiness Assessment

Strengths and Limitations

Findings

Recommendations

Directions for Future Research

A. Readiness Policies

B. Interview Protocols

C. Existing Data Sources

D. Terms Used for Instrument Search

E. Instruments Identified in the Instrument Search

F. Instruments from Supplemental Search.

Notes:

Title from PDF document (title page; viewed October 8, 2021)

"Prepared for the United States Army"

"RAND ARROYO CENTER"

Includes bibliographical references (pages 85-92)

ISBN:

9781977404800

1977404804

OCLC:

1281911886