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.

United States.

Other Title:

Readiness of Soldiers and Adult Family Members Who Receive Behavioral Health Care

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, Calif. RAND Corporation 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:

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction

CHAPTER TWO: Methods

CHAPTER THREE: Measuring the Readiness of Soldiers and Families

CHAPTER FOUR: Evaluation of Existing Data Sources and Potential Instruments to Support a Readiness Metric

CHAPTER FIVE: Improving Readiness Assessment

CHAPTER SIX: Summary and Recommendations

APPENDIX A: Readiness Policies

APPENDIX B: Interview Protocols

APPENDIX C: Existing Data Sources

APPENDIX D: Terms Used for Instrument Search

APPENDIX E: Instruments Identified in the Instrument Search

APPENDIX F: Instruments from Supplemental Search