Joshua Breslau

Delivery of high-quality behavioral health (BH) care is essential to the readiness of the U. S. armed forces and their families. Virtual behavioral health (VBH) care expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and could support BH care delivery in the future. The authors examined trends in the use of VBH care for U. S. Army soldiers and their spouses from prior to the pandemic through March 2022 and surveyed soldiers about their perceptions of VBH care.

The dramatic evolution in information and communication technologies (ICTs) online and on smartphones has led to rapid innovations in behavioral health care. To assist the U. S. Air Force in developing a strategy for use of ICTs, the authors reviewed the scientific literature on applications of ICTs to prevent and treat behavioral health conditions.

Researchers conducted an outcome evaluation of the Marine Corps Operational Stress Control and Readiness (OSCAR) program, which trains officers and noncommissioned officers to recognize signs of stress and intervene early. Although Marines in OSCAR-trained battalions were more likely than those in non OSCAR-trained battalions to report having sought help for stress, the researchers found no evidence that OSCAR affected key mental health outcomes."

This RAND study aimed to facilitate the successful reintegration of guard and reserve personnel after deployment. Data collected from families and resource providers offer insights on how well these personnel and their families fare after deployment, the challenges they face during that time frame, the strategies and resources they use to navigate the reintegration phase, and how to ensure that reintegration proceeds as smoothly as possible.