The Task Force submitted its plans to Congress after a year-long investigation into how the Pentagon treats and takes care of servicemembers with mental health problems. Now, the Defense Department will work with the Veterans Affairs Department and the Health and Human Services Departments to develop lasting and positive changes.
One key area where the Pentagon will change its tactics, is "to refocus the delivery of care to the patient's point of view."
"Patient centered-care is a standard of practice in some of the more effective health systems around the country," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness Ellen Embrey said. "For large federal systems like the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, patient-center care being imposed on a large number of specialty departments requires a significant commitment to understanding what the patient has to go through and making sure that the providers in that system keep that in mind."
"If you look at how the department is currently organized to provide care, ... overall our focus in the past has been on diagnosis and treatment. The shift ... is to help people understand that prevention, and helping people maintain their health, is as important," Embrey said. "We are absolutely committed to doing what's best for the patient."
According to the Pentagon, Congress provided $900 million for improvements in mental health care services, including advancements in traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, development and services.
