Engaging The Military in the Strategic Prevention Framework

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 Welcome and Introductions  Webinar Facilitators  Erin Bowers, Community Prevention Specialist, Employee and Family Resources  Clare Jones, Community Prevention Specialist, Helping Services for Northeast Iowa and Capacity Coach for SPF SIG  SFC Heather Brown, IA Counterdrug Task Force, Civil Operations NCO

 SAMSHA has made it a requirement of all of their new grants to engage the military as a stakeholder in this project.  Recognition, at the federal level, that the unique stressors for the military, especially those related to combat exposure, put this population at increased risk for substance abuse, especially excessive alcohol use, and other behavioral health disorders.

“The President has made the care and support of military families a top national security policy priority. We recognize that military families come from the active duty Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Reserves. They support and sustain troops fighting to defend the Nation, they care for our wounded warriors, and they survive our fallen heroes. The well-being of military families is an important indicator of the well-being of the overall force. At a time when America is at war and placing considerable, sustained demands on its troops and their families, it is especially important to address the family, home, and community challenges facing our all-volunteer force.” - Strengthening our Military Families, from the office of the President of the United States, 2011

“While the 2008 Department of Defense Health Behavior Survey reveals general reductions over time in tobacco use and illicit drug use, it reported increases in other areas, such as prescription drug use and heavy alcohol use. In fact, prescription drug abuse doubled among U.S. military personnel from 2002 to 2005 and almost tripled between 2005 and Alcohol abuse is the most prevalent problem and one which poses a significant health risk.” -National Institute On Drug Abuse, Topics in Brief: Substance Abuse among the Military, Veterans and their Families (revised 2011)

 7% of veterans meet the criteria for substance use disorders  1 in 6 veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has a substance abuse problem and about 25% have symptoms of a mental disorder or cognitive impairment

 50% higher among active duty military personnel and veterans than civilian population  Smoking rates are an additional 50% higher among personnel who have served in war zones

 43% reported binge drinking in the past month  21% age 20 and under reported heavy alcohol use in the past 30 days  20% of junior enlisted personnel reported serious alcohol-related consequences  27% reported lost productivity  22.6% reported symptoms of dependence

 1 in 4 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan reported symptoms of mental or cognitive disorder  These disorders are strongly associated with substance abuse and dependence  The number of soldiers that died from suicide doubled between  More soldiers have died from suicide this year than in battle.

 Research suggest that deployment of a parent puts a child at increased risk  University of Iowa, based on data from the 2010 IYS, found children with deployed or recently returned military parents:  Increase in 30 day alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana and other illegal drug use, and misuse of prescription drugs  Increase was even higher among children whose living arrangements were disrupted due to deployment.

 Iowa has representation from all branches of the military.  The largest portion of military personnel in Iowa serve with the Reserve or National Guard.  Air National Guard <3000  Army National Guard >7000

“Many people know what the words Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage mean. But how often do you see someone actually live up to them? Soldiers learn these values in detail during Basic Combat Training (BCT), from then on they live them every day in everything they do — whether they’re on the job or off. In short, the Seven Core Army Values listed below are what being a Soldier is all about.”

I am an American Soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values. I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life. I am an American Soldier.

 Nationally:  Average age is 28  85% male, 15% female  More than 50% are married  Almost 50% have children 18

 OIF/OEF  MFO  AT  MUTA/IDT  MOS  VA  Yellow Ribbon  ARNG  POV  ETS  HOR  FOB  PTSD  Others?

It is important to assess your own feelings about military culture. Here are some questions you can ask yourself, as suggested by the Veterans and Family Initiative:  What are my feelings about the military?  What are my feelings about ongoing military or war efforts?  Will my feelings effect how I deal with military members or families?  Do I use language or make references to the military in any way that is negative?

 Questions, thoughts and Aha! Moments so far

 Looking in your own circle of influence  Community activities for military families  Call your local armory  American Legion or VFW  County Veterans Coordinator  Local community center  VA events or activities  Iowa Vet Centers  Other suggestions?

Why do you want them to be engaged with your project? What’s in it for them?  Come from a place of shared concerns and desire for input, don’t put on defensive  They are an important stakeholder in our communities  Opportunity to make an impact on an issue that is having a devastating impact on soldiers and their families

 Can offer unique input through all steps of the SPF Assessment Planning Capacity Implementation Evaluation Sustainability Cultural Competence Clarify that you would like their input, you are not asking them to represent the military

 Making them feel welcome, understanding military culture. Recognize traits that may be common with this population such as:  “If you’re on time, you’re late”  Being “squared away”  Desire to be mission focused, task oriented, to the point  Maintaining your military bearing  Military identity

 Before the Meeting  Availability impacted by:  Special schools and annual training  Deployment  Change of duty station

 What has worked well in your community?  How have you overcome barriers in your community?  What are you taking away from today’s conversation?  What do you see as next steps?

 Any more questions?  Final thoughts?  Aha moments to share?

“We can do this. In every community, every day, we can find concrete ways to show our military families the respect and gratitude that each of us holds for them in our hearts. They deserve our support long after the welcome home ceremonies are over. You don’t have to come from a military family, have a base in your community, or be in military issues to make a difference. Every American can do something.” —Michelle Obama and Jill Biden USA Today, September 3, 2010

Strengthening our Military Families tive/strengthening_our_military_january_2011.pdf tive/strengthening_our_military_january_2011.pdf Parental Deployment Ups Risk of Substance Abuse deployment-ups-risk-of-child-substance-abuse/53163.html deployment-ups-risk-of-child-substance-abuse/53163.html Suicide toll for Army higher than combat losses / / Military Service Branches Topics in Brief: Substance Abuse among the Military, Veterans, and their Families brief/substance-abuse-among-military-veterans-their- families brief/substance-abuse-among-military-veterans-their- families Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs

 Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Data Spotlight, Half of Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions among Veterans Aged 21 to 39 Involve Alcohol as the Primary Substance of Abuse 106VeteransAlcoholAbuse2012.pdf 106VeteransAlcoholAbuse2012.pdf  NCTSN. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network  An Overview of the Military Family Experience and Culture  DoD, VA, State and Community Partnerships to Assist Returning Service Members/Veterans and their Families: A Public Health Response as a Nation at War

 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration  Department of Defense  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism  Iowa Substance Abuse Information Center  US Department of Veterans Affairs

 Veterans Crisis Line option 1  Chat Service  Military One Source