WHEN THE GOING IS TOUGH, GET HELP
ADDITIONAL HELP IS AVAILABLE Research has shown that people under stress are not at their decision-making best. But military and civilian personnel alike should keep in mind that there are resources available outside of the EAP and ASAP. Cunningham said, “We try to take advantage of the chaplain on post.” Tat’s not the only oppor- tunity. For those dealing with grief, for example, churches and other organizations have groups where people can meet—these days, virtually—to share what they’re going through and to find comfort with those experiencing similar challenges. “A really big loss—of a child, you know, loss of a spouse—you’ve just got to find the group that can give you an outlet,” Cunningham said.
A PATH TO RECOVERY
Lisa Lofton-Berry, of Fort Bragg’s Employee Assistance Program, an office within the Army Substance Abuse Program, was interviewed in September by local media about National Recovery Month on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “It’s important to educate [people] that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with mental and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives,” she said. (Photo by Elvia Kelly, Fort Bragg Public Affairs Office)
Tere are any number of issues people face that they can get help with by finding the right person or people to talk to—even without a pandemic, he said. ASAP and the Army EAP cover “everything from sexual assault, to suicide to drugs and alco- hol … anything to do with … personnel issues pertaining to a Soldier.” Te issues aren’t limited to those that are potentially life threatening, or that necessarily involve a Soldier, though the Soldier is the primary focus. Cunningham said the Army also makes services available internationally. “Te Army has a coun- seling program that we run for adolescents in DOD schools” in Europe and elsewhere, for example.
Te program has “about 30 counselors right now, placed in DODEA [Department of Defense Education Activity] school systems in Germany and Italy, Korea, Hawaii, that will see DOD dependents and talk issues with them from a counseling perspec- tive. Tey can actually go into deep counseling with the students.”
Since the pandemic began, Cunningham said, “We have seen an increase in counseling, and it’s more from a stress side.” Tat includes domestic issues, a broad category.
Every installation has an EAP resource, he said. “Depending on its size, there may be more than one EAPC.”
FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS
Juanita Meadley, the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade’s Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC), told groups at her station that the MFLC program is able to provide non-medical, solution-focused counseling for issues such as anger management, communication, relocation adjustment and separation during the brigade’s Behavioral Health Fair on Jan. 28 at Zoeckler Gym on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea. (Photo by Capt. Kurt Van Slooten, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade)
HOW TO FIND ASSISTANCE Te Army’s Employee Assistance Program falls under the ASAP umbrella. To find an installation’s EAP or ASAP, go to the installation homepage and search. According to Cunningham, there isn’t a strict standard for how the homepage displays the contact information, so it may be different from one installa- tion to another.
Te Army Resilience Directorate’s homepage, covering an array of resources, is
https://www.armyresilience.army.mil; or go
112 Army AL&T Magazine Spring 2021
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