Unwanted sexual behavior: improved guidance, access to care, and training needed to better address victims' behavioral health needs : report to congressional requesters.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Department of Defense--Personnel management--Evaluation.

United States.

United States. Veterans Administration--Personnel management--Evaluation.

United States. Department of Defense.

United States. Veterans Administration.

Rape in the military--United States--Psychological aspects.

Rape in the military.

Sexual harassment in the military--United States--Psychological aspects.

Sexual harassment in the military.

Sexual abuse victims--Mental health services--United States.

Sexual abuse victims.

Veterans--Mental health services--United States.

Veterans.

United States--Armed Forces--Medical care--Evaluation.

Employee retention--United States.

Employee retention.

United States--Armed Forces--Recruiting.

Post-traumatic stress disorder--Treatment.

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Military spouses--Violence against--United States--Psychological aspects.

Military spouses.

Personnel management--Evaluation.

Veterans--Mental health services.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (v, 166 pages) : color illustrations, color maps

Other Title:

Improved guidance, access to care, and training needed to better address victims' behavioral health needs

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, 2023.

Summary:

Service members who experience unwanted sexual behavior--sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic sexual abuse--during military service may suffer from chronic mental health conditions. Service members who have such experiences are also more likely to separate from the military, exacerbating DOD's critical recruitment and retention challenges. This report examines, among other issues, the extent to which (1) DOD and VA screen for and provide access to behavioral health care services for such experiences, and (2) such experiences play a role in voluntary and involuntary separations of service members from the military. GAO is making 15 recommendations, 13 to DOD and two to VA, including that DOD develop guidance specifying how and when to screen for experiences with unwanted sexual behavior; consider how best to enable service members' access to care related to such experiences at any VA facility, without a referral; and consider modifying its guidance to help ensure it fully considers potential factors contributing to service member separations.

Contents:

Background.

DOD and VA screening for unwanted sexual behavior experiences differ and several challenges hinder access to behavioral health care offered by DOD and VA.

VA and DOD differ in their approach to monitoring data on behavioral health care related to unwanted sexual behavior, and cannot ensure confidentiality.

DOD and VA trainings do not consistently inform service members of VA resources for unwanted sexual behavior, but DOD has developed medical provider training.

DOD does not know the extent of the role of unwanted sexual behavior in separation decisions due to various challenges.

Conclusions.

Recommendations for executive action.

Agency comments and our evaluation.

Appendices.

Notes:

"August 2023."

"GAO-23-105381."

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF cover (GAO, viewed on Aug. 28, 2023).

OCLC:

1392293556