1. in the Strategic Prevention Framework
Engaging
The Military
in the Strategic Prevention Framework

2. A few Housekeeping items before we get started

3. Using GoToMeeting features
Expand & collapse your Panel
View and select your audio
Submit a question or comment via Chat
Manage your own muting
Share and manage your webcam
Notes: This slide provides a detailed tour of the GoToMeeting Attendee interface.
Notes on slide performance: Click 1 – Expands the control panel
Click 2 – Highlights Audio pane
Click 3 – Highlights Chat pane
Click 4 – Highlights muting control
Click 5 – Highlights webcam pane and controls

4. Connect to Telephone Audio
Locate Audio and select Telephone
Dial using the information provided
Once connected, enter your audio pin to identify your line
You are successfully connected to audio
Notes:
This slide provides instructions on entering the Audio Pin for telephone attendees. If your attendee has not yet entered their Audio Pin, they must enter “#[the number]#” to their telephone keypad to identify their line and enable individual muting control through GoToMeeting.
Notes on slide performance: Click 1 – Highlights Audio pane
Click 2 – Highlights Audio Pin
Click 3 – Updates Attendee panel to show the Audio Pin was accepted and attendee is successfully connected to audio

5. welcome 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

6. Rationale
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.

7. “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
Refer to resource this came from

8. Scope of the problem
“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 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)

9. Scope of the problem
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
SUD appear both pre and post discharge from service. SUD can present years after discharge. Most states have not yet tried to assess the numbers, states that have assessed vets needs have detected an influx of OEF/OIF vets seeking SUD services (this has not been quantified). Over half of states have started the critical interagency coordination with the VA, state MH, and the NG, but only 8 have collaborated with TRICARE. Clients may have to be referred to TRICARE or VA providers for SUD

10. Prevalence of Tobacco Use
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
NIDA

11. Prevalence of Alcohol Use
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
American Journal of Preventative Medicine – binge definition: drinking on a single occasion 5+ drinks for men and 4+ drinks for women
Congressmen Jack Kingston and Gene Taylor introduced a bill that would allow military personnel who are 18 and on active duty to purchase and drink beer and wine at certain locations on military installations. Underage drinking is associated with many negative consequences including impaired brain functioning that can have long lasting effects on those under 21 because brains are not fully developed. The culture of binge drinking among military commanders is similar to a collage campus (it is seen as the norm). Problems with alcohol and nicotine abuse are the most prevalent and pose a significant risk to the health of vets

12. Mental and Physical Health Issues
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.
Military experts are concerned that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may be precipitating a rise in problems related to substance use and abuse among the military personnel who have been deployed to those fronts. - NIDA
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress – since the start of OIF and OEF, there have been close to 40,000 injuries (amputations, TBI, burns, etc). 40% of service members have children, averaging 2 per parent, some 24,000 children have been affected by serious combat related parental injuries.
47% of OIF/OEF veterans have sought services at the VA. Top 2 reasons: muscle and joint problems, mental health. Of the 48.5% that sought mental health care: 53.3% PTSD, 37.8% depression (January 2010)

13. Impact on military families
Research suggest that deployment of a parent puts a child at increased risk
University of Iowa, based on data from the 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.

14. 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

15. Army values
“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.”

16. 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.

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

19. A few acronyms/Terms OIF/OEF ARNG MFO POV AT ETS MUTA/IDT HOR MOS FOB
PTSD
Yellow Ribbon
Others?

20. Before you move forward:
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?

21. Check in
Questions, thoughts and Aha! Moments so far

22. Finding the right person
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?

23. Making the ask
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 ? ? ? ? ?

24. Making the ask: What will their role Be?
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

25. Getting and Keeping them engaged
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

26. Additional considerations
Before the Meeting
Availability impacted by:
Special schools and annual training
Deployment
Change of duty station

27. Shared challenges and successes
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?

28. Additional questions and ideas?
Any more questions?
Final thoughts?
Aha moments to share?

29. “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

30. references
Strengthening our Military Families tive/strengthening_our_military_january_2011.pdf
Parental Deployment Ups Risk of Substance Abuse 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
Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs

31. references
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 VeteransAlcoholAbuse2012.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

32. Additional sites and resources
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

33. Resources for soldiers, veterans, and their families
Veterans Crisis Line option 1
Chat Service
Military One Source

34. Thank you!!