More soldiers seek treatment for behavioral health issues Posted On: Saturday, Aug. 4 2012 11:02 PM By Rose L. Thayer Killeen Daily Herald

Demand for outpatient behavioral health care has more than doubled at Fort Hood in the past five years, according to information from Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.

Data comparing fiscal year 2007 to 2011 show that across the board, demand has risen and Darnall is looking into a variety of programs and expansions to meet the need, said Lt. Col. Sharette Gray, chief of behavioral health for the hospital.

"We're continuing to expand," she said. "We are definitely expanding more because of the need and because of soldiers being back."

Between the many different programs, the department of behavioral health, which includes social work, is averaging 3,000 patient encounters a week, she said, with the department of social work seeing the biggest rise. In-patient beds show the slowest increase numbers, rising 46 percent.

This increase is reflective of the entire military. The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center reported the number of visits for outpatient mental health treatment almost doubled, from just under 1 million in 2007 to about

1.89 million in 2011.

Gray said most of the soldiers at Fort Hood seeking help have been deployed between three to five times and have a wide range of behavioral issues for which they are seeking help.

Easier access

To meet the growing demand, Darnall is hiring providers, as well as integrating new care models across post, such as the Embedded Behavioral Health Model, which attaches providers to units at the brigade level.

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By Rose L. Thayer Killeen Daily Herald