The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights chose to focus on sexual assault in the U.S. military for its annual 2013 Statutory Enforcement Report. This report examines how the Department of Defense and its Armed Services—the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (the Services)—respond to Service members who report having been sexually assaulted (“victims”) and how it investigates and disciplines Service members accused of perpetrating sexual assault (“perpetrators”). This report also reviews how the military educates Service members and trains military criminal investigators and military lawyers about sexual assault offenses. The topic is both relevant and timely, as Congress is currently considering ways to address this issue.
The Commission has authority to examine questions related to sexual assault in the military because the issues involve both sex discrimination and the denial of equal protection in the administration of justice. The issue of sex discrimination involves female Service members, who represent 14 percent of the military population, but are disproportionately likely to be victims at a rate five times that of their male counterparts. The questions related to a possible denial of equal protection in the administration of justice led the Commission to examine cases in which sexual assault victims, as well as Service members accused of sexual assault, claim unfair treatment in the military justice system.
Behavioral Health, United States, 2012
Behavioral Health, United States, 2012, the latest in a series of publications issued by SAMHSA biannually since 1980, provides in-depth information regarding the current status of the mental health and substance abuse field. It includes behavioral health statistics at the national and State levels from 40 different data sources. The report includes three analytic chapters:
- Behavioral Health Disorders across the Life Span
- Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Impairment in Functioning
- Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Treatment Landscape
The volume also includes 172 tables, which are organized into four sections:
- Behavioral Health of the Population: the mental health status of the U.S. population and prevalence of mental illness;
- Behavioral Health Service Utilization: providers and settings for behavioral health services; types of behavioral health services provided; and rates of utilization;
- Behavioral Health Treatment Capacity: number of facilities providing mental health and substance abuse services; numbers of qualified specialty mental health and substance abuse providers; and
- Payer and Payment Mechanisms: expenditures and sources of funding for behavioral health services.
No other HHS publication provides this type of comprehensive information regarding behavioral health services delivery in the U.S. This publication is the only available comprehensive source of national-level statistical information on trends in both private and public sector behavioral health services, costs, and clients. Drawing on 40 different data sources, this publication also includes State-level data, and information on behavioral health treatment for special populations such as children, military personnel, nursing home residents, and incarcerated individuals.
Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America's Commitment (White House - 2011): In May 2010, the President directed the National Security Staff (NSS) to develop a coordinated Federal Government-wide approach to supporting military families. By harnessing resources and expertise across the Federal Government, the Obama Administration is improving the quality of military family life, helping communities more effectively support military families, and thereby improving the long-term effectiveness of U.S. military forces.
The Veterans Health Administration’s Treatment of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Recent Combat Veterans (Congressional Budget Office - 2012): Through September 2011, about 740,000 recent veterans had been treated at VHA—approximately half of all recent veterans eligible for care within that health system. VHA spent about $2 billion in fiscal year 2010 (in 2011 dollars) to provide medical care to all recent combat veterans.
Combat Deployment and the Returning Police Officer (U.S. Department of Justice - 2008): This report examines issues concerning police officers’ transition back to work after combat zone deployment. Topics include the psychological effects of combat deployment, methods that may lessen the severity of combat stress experienced, and strategies used by police agencies to help officers returning back to work, their families, and communities. The report highlights the responses of four police agencies that have taken measures to assist returning officers, and offers recommendations for further study.
The Effect of OEF/OIF Deployment Intensity on the Rate of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Active Duty Population (National Bureau of Economic Research - 2009): This study estimates the effect of deployment location and length on the risk of developing PTSD, relative to what it would be from the normal military operations. We use a random sample of activity-duty enlisted personnel serving between 2001 and 2006. We identify PTSD cases from TRICARE medical records and link deployment information from Contingent Tracking System. Comparing to those in other duties around the world, deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan increases the odds of developing PTSD substantially, with the largest effect observed for the Navy (OR=9.06, p<0.01) and the smallest effect for the Air Force (OR=1.25, p<0.01). A deployment longer than 180 days increases the odds of PTSD by 1.11 times to 2.84 times, depending on the service, compared to a tour under 120 days. For Army and Navy, a deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan further exacerbates the adverse effect of tour length. Our research identifies the extent of PTSD across services and quantifies the risks associated with OEF/OIF deployment intensity. Further research is needed for effective monitoring and preventive measures of PTSD on the active duty population.
Psychological and Pharmacological Treatments for Adults With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: 2013): Several psychological and pharmacological treatments have at least moderate SOE supporting their efficacy: exposure, CPT, CT, CBT-mixed therapies, EMDR, narrative exposure therapy, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, topiramate, and venlafaxine.
Screening for Suicide Risk in Primary Care: A Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: 2013): Suicide screening is of high national importance. It is very difficult, however, to predict who will die from suicide, and there are many inherent difficulties in establishing the effectiveness of treatment to reduce suicide and suicide attempts. Limited evidence suggests that primary care-feasible screening instruments may be able to identify adults at increased risk of suicide, and psychotherapy targeting suicide prevention can be an effective treatment in adults. Evidence was more limited in older adults and adolescents; additional research is urgently needed.
SAMHSA News: What Military Patients Want Civilian Providers to Know (2011): From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Reports on service members' frustration with the lack of understanding of military culture among many civilian providers and SAMHSA's efforts to address their concerns; how block grants are responding to state needs; new data on the rise of illicit drug use; and celebratory events during National Recovery Month.