JULY 24, 2024 — Incorporating mental health and wellness checks with the birth month Soldier Readiness Program, is an introduction to behavioral health resources and encourages personal resilience at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana.
Lt. Col. Alexander Ragan, installation director for psychological health, said the wellness checks take 20 to 30 minutes and are an annual requirement for all Soldiers.
“Everyone will complete the annual wellness check, even if they are already in counseling,” he said. “These touchpoints give Soldiers an opportunity to reflect on how they are doing and discuss a variety of aspects of their lives. They are not meant to replace psychological counseling, therapy, or treatment.”
Ragan said the wellness checks are not mental health evaluations.
“They are non-attributional wellness and non-medical screenings designed to review and update resource education, as well as introduce and eliminate the stigma of counseling,” he explained.
Ragan said this is a significant and important annual requirement.
“Wellness checks are one of the most crucial components of readiness for Soldiers,” he said. “For many Soldiers, this will be the first time they have sat down with a chaplain, Military and Family Life Counselor, or member of the medical behavioral health staff. The normalization of wellness services and exposure to counseling concepts can significantly reduce the stigma associated with each and greatly increase the health and resiliency of the force.”
Lt. Col. Christopher Green, task force signal, JRTC Operations Group, said the wellness checks are a beneficial use of time.
“As a senior leader, the touch point is a valuable way to learn more about resources available to my Soldiers and their Families, as well as for me to identify potential issues within our formation,” he said.
Anastasia Stipe, SRP and mobilization supervisor for the Fort Johnson Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, said wellness checks during birth month SRP went into effect in January.
“The directive was for behavioral health to conduct wellness screenings with Soldiers at given intervals,” she said. “The birth month readiness checks provide a conducive environment with the highest concentration of Soldiers in one location. We offer private spaces, an expected number of attendees, and have an established schedule for incorporating the wellness check at this venue. The team of resource providers are staged in one place at one time for maximum impact and coverage.”
Stipe said the intended outcome of the annual wellness checks are to improve retention and increase readiness.
“We deliver a one stop approach to conduct all requirements and reduce Soldier absenteeism throughout the year,” she said. “During SRP, we coordinate installation resources and staffing support, expediting the processing time for rapid or no-notice exercises and deployments. The incorporation of the mental health component into this process only makes sense with minimal efforts to fortify the high returns achieved.”
Stipe said the wellness checks start with an introduction of resources.
“A friendly provider begins by introducing the multitude of resources available to Soldiers, their peers, and Families, then hands the reins of the conversation to the Soldier to share and talk to someone or not,” she said. “It’s a low stress encounter, with no strings attached and no records kept. Everyone at SRP rotates through.”
Capt. Travis Nartker, distribution company team lead, Task Force Sustainment, JRTC Operations Group, said for junior and senior Soldiers alike it’s a beneficial opportunity to ask questions and learn about installation resources.
He said the encounter was positive.
“The military and family life counselor began with a series of questions: how are you doing? how are you feeling? is there anything going on that you want to talk about?” he said. “Then, she asked if I was familiar with their program, services provided by the chaplain and the BJACH behavioral health clinic. Finally, because it’s birth month SRP, she wished me a happy birthday!”
Nartker said the wellness checks are guided by the Soldiers, their experience and any potential issues they bring up.
Spc. Breana McConnell, combat engineer, 573rd Clearance Company, 46th Engineer Battalion, said the wellness check increased her knowledge of installation resources.
“I learned a lot of good information that I will take back to my unit,” she said. “A lot of Soldiers don’t feel like they can go out and get help. There is a misunderstanding among Soldiers that seeking help, counseling or therapy will negatively impact them during their military careers and when they get out. But that’s not the case.”
McConnell said Soldiers can talk to the Chaplain, MFLC or behavioral health providers and it is strictly confidential unless they express an intent to harm themselves or others.
Story by Jean Graves
Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital