Name
#61 - Effectiveness of Implementing a Military-Based ADHD Class in Improving Access to Care and Maximizing Clinic Resources
Date & Time
Monday, February 12, 2024, 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Description

Abstract: Military mental health professionals often conduct assessments and provide psychoeducation on an individual basis to active-duty service members seeking diagnostic clarification and information pertaining to mental health-related concerns. One specific mental health disorder that military mental health professionals frequently assess and provide services for is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is also one of the most controversial diagnoses within the United States military due to the potential for administrative separation if certain criteria are met (e.g., diagnosis of ADHD with documentation of adverse academic, occupational, or work performance). Therefore, special attention is needed in the process of assessing, diagnosing, and ensuring that an active-duty service member with this disorder is appropriately diagnosed and provided the accurate information to make an informed decision about their care. Due to increasingly limited resources within active-duty clinics (i.e., increased demand and low manning), a shift in service delivery is warranted. Efforts to move the delivery of active-duty psychological services from an individual to a group or population-based approach are ongoing. To further this delivery change for the benefit of the service-member and the mental health clinics, military mental health professionals can engage in population-based screening and offer psychoeducation about certain conditions like ADHD prior to scheduling and conducting a psychological assessment. At Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), the mental health clinic over a one-year period of implementation has seen 68 active-duty service members within its one-time ADHD class. Of the 68 service members who attended the class, 38 percent were scheduled for an ADHD assessment and of those scheduled only 27 percent were diagnosed with ADHD, saving the medical treatment facility (MTF) as much as 190K. The aim of this poster presentation will (a) discuss the implementation of a one-time ADHD class from a population-based approach, (b) describe the overall content within the ADHD class, (c) review a standardized, systematic process to obtain an ADHD evaluation within the military, (d) evaluate the effectiveness of improving access to care after a one-year implementation period of a one-time ADHD class, and (e) provide future directions about how to implement other population-based classes in effort to maximize utilization of clinic resources. As change to the delivery of mental health services within the military remains paramount, information on how to utilize military-based psychoeducation groups and classes will be particularly valuable to mental health professionals, interdisciplinary treatment teams, and other helping agencies working with or within military mental health clinics.

Location Name
Prince Georges Exhibit Hall A/B
Content Presented on Behalf of
Air Force
Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1: Following this presentation, the participant will be able to demonstrate how to effectively implement and conduct a one-time ADHD class within their respective mental health clinic.

Outcome 2: Following this presentation, the participant will be able to illustrate how a one-time ADHD class led to a significant reduction in initial ADHD assessments/encounters that were potentially not clinically indicated following the delivery of the class for active-duty service members.

Outcome 3: Following this presentation, the participant will be able demonstrate how the delivery of a one-time population-based intervention led to improved utilization of clinic resources (i.e., increase in available intake slots, centralized opportunity for SMs to obtained information pertaining to ADHD and make informed decision about treatment/care).
Session Type
Posters
Dropdown Content Presented On Behalf Of:
Air Force