Mental Health Considerations for Military Families

Within the U.S. Military, there are approximately 2.5 million military families, including 1.5 million children and 1 million spouses. A plurality of children are 5 years old or younger. These families face unique stressors that can impact the mental health of parents and children, however, consistent with research of military culture more generally, few healthcare providers assess for military status and provide culturally competent support for this population. Compounding these experiences is the epidemic of veteran suicide, loss which devastates family members and warrants unique considerations and support. This program addresses a need for greater understanding among healthcare providers of the experiences, challenges, and mental health risk factors associated with this population to better serve the needs of military and veteran families.

      This course is offered at no-cost to learners.

Target Audience

This program is intended for clinical and non-clinical personnel in health service agencies that serve individuals who treat military personnel, veterans and their famlies. 

    

Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, MGH Institute of Health Professions is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  


1.0 Physicians
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.


1.0 Psychologists:

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibly for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.0 CE credit.


1.0 Social Workers

      As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.


1.0 IPCE Credit

   As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.

 


 

 

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this program, participants will learn about the impact of military culture and service on families, including veteran mental health difficulties and bereavement in the wake of a service member’s death. In turn, this course will also provide recommendations for supporting family members secondary symptomatology, including assessment recommendations and treatment considerations.

The learning from this course will empower participants to better support veteran and military families when engaging with them in healthcare services.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. McLean Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    McLean Hospital designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.00 Social Workers

    The Collaborative of NASW, Boston College, and Simmons College Schools of Social Work authorizes social work continuing education credits for courses, workshops, and educational programs that meet the criteria outlined in 258 CMR of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers

    This program has been approved for 1.00 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of NASW and the Boston College and Simmons Schools of Social Work Authorization Number

  • 1.00 Participation

    This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.

    Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.

  • 1.00 Psychologists CE Credit

    The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

    This offering meets the criteria for 1.00 Continuing Education (CE) credits per presentation for psychologists.

Registration opens: 
01/29/2024
Course closes: 
04/14/2027
Rating: 
0

This course will cover the following topics:

  1. Introduction to the Military Family
  2. Socioemotional Challenges
    1. Intimate Partners and Spouses
      1. Dual Military Households
    2. Parents
    3. The Military Child
  3. Resilience Factors Among Military Families
  4. Post-Military Challenges
    1. Reintegration Difficulties
    2. Impact of Veteran Mental Health on the Family
  5. Special Considerations for Military Bereavement and Military Suicides
    1. Military and Community Response – Language Matters
    2. Mental Health Concerns – Postvention and Prevention
  6. Treatment Considerations and Recommendations

C

        Course Directors:

  • Dr. Wesley Sanders is a Staff Psychologist at Home Base and specializes in the treatment of PTSD and readjustment issues, including family and parenting difficulties. He provides both individual and group therapy services at Home Base. He is trained in Prolonged Exposure Therapy and is a VA certified provider of Cognitive Processing Therapy for the treatment of PTSD. He received his M.A. from the College of William & Mary and his Ph.D. from the University of Vermont. Dr. Sanders completed his internship at the VA Boston Healthcare System and his post-doctoral fellowship in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD. He also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve for 8 years, receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant. His research interests focus on supporting military/veteran families, particularly during transition to civilian life.

     

    Ms. Nealon is the Director of the Families of the Fallen and Family Outreach at Home Base.  She is a clinical social worker with extensive community organizing experience assisting survivors of trauma and grief, and she provides group therapy services for Families of the Fallen.  During her twenty-year professional career, Ms. Nealon has been privileged to organize community services and critical mental health support for survivors of clergy abuse, for families of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and for post-9/11 bereaved military families.  Ms. Nealon has served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund and the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund, where she helped develop Massachusetts’ nationally recognized Memorial Day Flag Garden on Boston Common.   Ms. Nealon holds an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University, a graduate degree in clinical social work from Boston College and is trained in Prolonged Grief Disorder. 

    Course Planners: 

  • Jane Pimental, MPH 
  • David Rubin, MD

          Content Reviewers:

  • Susan Sprich, PhD 
  • Susan Kim, MD
  • Elizabeth Cox, RN
  • Sharon Fawcett, LICSW

Financial Relationships:

The following planners, speakers, content reviewers, and others in control of educational content have reported financial relationships with ineligible companies over the past 24 months: 

Susan Sprich, PhD (Psychologist Reviewer)
Royalties: Oxford University Press; Springer
Honorarium for associate editor of a journal: Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

 

           Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, MGH Institute of Health Professions is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  


1.0 Physicians

MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.


1.0 Social Workers

      As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.


1.0 IPCE Credit

   As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. McLean Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    McLean Hospital designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.00 Social Workers

    The Collaborative of NASW, Boston College, and Simmons College Schools of Social Work authorizes social work continuing education credits for courses, workshops, and educational programs that meet the criteria outlined in 258 CMR of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers

    This program has been approved for 1.00 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of NASW and the Boston College and Simmons Schools of Social Work Authorization Number

  • 1.00 Participation

    This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.

    Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.

  • 1.00 Psychologists CE Credit

    The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

    This offering meets the criteria for 1.00 Continuing Education (CE) credits per presentation for psychologists.

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