inTransition Now Available for Service Members Receiving Mental Health Treatment

February 24, 2010 - FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness announced Feb. 24 the kick-off of inTransition. inTransition is a new program designed to offer service members currently receiving mental health treatment a bridge of support between health care providers when they transfer to a new location or separate from active service.

The program may be accessed by service members or referring mental health providers by calling 1-800-424-7877, in the United States including Alaska and Hawaii; or 1-800-424-4685 outside the United States. Individuals outside the U.S. may also call collect 1-314-387-4700.

Once contact is made, the service member is assigned a Transition Support Coach. These coaches are licensed, master’s-level behavioral health clinicians specially trained and skilled in understanding today’s military culture. They understand and respect the importance of service member privacy, and provide one-on-one coaching with the service member via telephone until the transition to the new mental health provider is complete.

Transition Support Coaches offer support through motivational consultation and action planning. They provide detailed information on how to successfully change providers, assist with referrals and follow-up with new providers to ensure continuity of care. Coaches also offer crisis intervention to those who need it, and provide information on local community resources, support groups, and other resources specifically tailored to the service member’s new duty station or location. In particular, coaches have the knowledge to assist service members transitioning their mental health care from the Military Health System to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

For more information, please visit the inTransition Web site at www.health.mil/inTransition. Media with questions about inTransition can contact Peter Graves at 703-681-3279 ext. 173, or email at peter.graves.ctr@tma.osd.mil.