Mental health: When needed, help is in easy reach

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The number five.

When one thinks of Mental Health services, is the first thing that comes to mind the number five?

The Air Force Mental Health program is divided into five individual groups, with five distinct functionalities. Mental Health, Family Advocacy, ADAPT, Resiliency and Behavior Health are the five sections that fall under the Mental Health umbrella.

"Sometimes there's a stigma associated with seeking treatment from Mental Health," said Staff Sgt. Andrew Johnson, 6th Medical Group Resiliency Element. "People tend to forget we all have problems. Mental Health is simply here to treat, evaluate and return back to full duty status as quick and efficiently as possible."

Clinical psychologists and licensed psychiatrists make up the Mental Health flight at the 6th Medical Group. The professionals at Mental Health are available by appointment to help work with you on many issues pertaining to military, family and everyday life.

The 6th Medical Group Family Advocacy section is here to support military families. The primary goal of Family Advocacy is to build healthy communities with programs that prevent and treat the maltreatment of children and spouses. Besides one-on-once consultations, Family Advocacy offers classes such as: Dads 101...a class for new and expectant fathers; Baby Basics for new parents; Infant Massage, Playgroup ages newborn to three; Anger Management, Divorce/Separation, and Fases which helps improve communication skills and build healthy relationships.

"There's even a program where nurses will make "house calls" to the homes of new parents and assist them with new-parent basics such as baby care, feeding, bathing, stop baby crying, potty training and other parenting skills," said Marlene Sullivan, 6th Medical Group Family Advocacy Program assistant. "Parents don't start out as experts, it takes time and practice and our Family Advocacy experts are the right coaches to assist with any parenting challenge!"

ADAPT, also known as the "Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team," focuses on preventing and aiding military members on issues related to alcohol and/or substance abuse.
Johnson has some advice for those who are undecided on whether or not to visit the 6th Medical Group:

"People feel uncomfortable talking about their problems in general, and they feel their problems are new or really sensitive. When someone drops by the clinic for help it shows good judgment and reflects good on the member and helps address a potential problem before it gets out of hand."

The Resiliency Element proactively addresses the morale of personnel assigned to MacDill Air Force Base. From formal briefings and events with large groups to morale checks with staff members working odd hours, the Resiliency team is fully engaged in building stronger, healthier more resilient Airmen. "Here at the Resiliency element we take what we do seriously from shop visits to Airmen road trips to social spots on and off base, most recently, to Dave and Buster's," said Johnson.

Behavioral Health specializes in a broad scope of medical specialties. Some of the classes include: sleep hygiene issues, healthy sleeping habits and diabetics classes. Just as a reminder, Behavior Health services are also available to military family members.

"Regardless of what you may have heard about Mental Health services please understand that they are a benefit available to our military families," said Col. Robert Rocco, 6th MDG commander. "And those assigned to the Mental Health mission are proud of their ability to serve as Wingmen, fellow warriors and Airmen!"

If you have questions for yourself, a family member or a friend, feel free to call (813) 828-CARE to schedule an appointment at the clinic. "Don't take somebody else's experience and make it your own. Everyone is different and everyone can benefit from the experience of the Mental Health team," says Johnson.

So the next time someone mentions Mental Health think about the number five. Five different elements, five different missions, they're bound to have a program uniquely designed for you.