Improving Access to Behavioral Health Care for Remote Service Members and Their Families

Ryan Andrew Brown ; Grant N. Marshall ; Joshua Breslau ; Coreen Farris ; Karen Chan Osilla ; Harold Alan Pincus ; Teague Ruder ; Phoenix Voorhies ; Dionne Barnes-Proby ; Katherine Pfrommer ; et al.

RAND Corporation

RAND Corporation

关键词: Military Health and Health Care;    Health Information Technology;    Military Families;    Substance Abuse;    Mental Health and Illness;    Students;   

DOI  :  10.7249/RR578z1
ISBN  :  9780833087294
RP-ID  :  RR-578/1-OSD

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

美国|英语

来源: RAND Corporation Published Research

【 摘 要 】

With many service members now returning to the United States from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, concern over adequate access to behavioral health care (treatment for mental, behavioral, or addictive disorders) has risen. Yet data remain very sparse regarding how many service members (and their dependents) reside in locations remote from behavioral health providers, as well as the resulting effect on their access to and utilization of care. Little is also known about the effectiveness of existing policies and other efforts to improve access to services among this population. To help fill these gaps, a team of RAND researchers conducted a geospatial analysis using TRICARE and other data, finding that roughly 300,000 military service members and 1 million dependents are geographically distant from behavioral health care, and an analysis of claims data indicated that remoteness is associated with lower use of specialty behavioral health care. A review of existing policies and programs discovered guidelines for access to care, but no systematic monitoring of adherence to those guidelines, limiting their value. RAND researchers recommend implementing a geospatial data portal and monitoring system to track access to care in the military population and mark progress toward improvements in access to care. In addition, the RAND team highlighted two promising pathways for improving access to care among remote military populations: telehealth and collaborative care that integrates primary care with specialty behavioral care.