Program helps reservists in need

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Greene County News

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — When dealing with life stressors, reservists and their families may not know where to turn to for help and that is when the Air Force Reserve Command Psychological Health Advocacy Program can step in and guide them in the right direction.

Born from the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program which is a Department of Defense wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members, their families and communities, the PHAP office was designed by the AFRC to assist reservists and guard by connecting them to resources for whatever life challenges they may be dealing with.

The PHAP office is located at the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and oversees the north region covering 23 states and servicing approximately 24,000 reservists and their family members. The staff of two who are also reservists themselves, average 70 caseloads daily.

Unlike an active-duty member that is located at a military installation and has resources available within an arm’s reach, reservists and their family members who are not near installations can sometimes feel disconnected.

The PHAP office assists reservists and their family by connecting them to the appropriated resources in their local area.

“There are many resources out there but many of them have specific criteria to qualify for assistance so we are designed to help point them in the right direction,” Pamela Boyd, PHAP outreach specialist said.

In addition to providing resource assistance, the PHAP offers outreach or “morale” calls to requesting reservists and families during all the stages of deployment: pre-deployment, during and post deployment.

“People think because our name has psychological health in it we are just geared towards mental health assistance,” Boyd said. “But if you think about it, psychological health can come from any type of life stressors.”

Boyd said she looks at each case like an onion.

“There could be a lot of things going on so you keep peeling the layers to find out what we can help with,” Boyd said.

“It could be a child whose parent is deploying and since their home is not near a military environment, teachers at that child’s school may not be familiar with the military and deployments and doesn’t understand how the child can be affected,” Boyd said. “PHAP can step in and assist the school by providing them information on deployments on how they can help provide support to that child.”

Brittney Snider, RN, case facilitator, said it could also be a situation where a grandparent who is taking care of a deployed member’s child. The child needs to go to the dentist but the grandparent is not familiar with Tricare so the PHAP office can assist them with the process.

“When reservists go active duty or deploy, sometimes it can be a financial burden for a family because it could be a loss of income in comparison to the salary of their civilian job,” Snider said. “We can provide the family with available resources for financial assistance. For instance, we could provide them grant information and an application that could help offset a child’s extracurricular activities.

“We like to say we are hand holders for the families because that is what we do, we hold on to them throughout whatever issues they are dealing with at the time and do not let go until they are ready,” Boyd said.

Lt. Col. Michael Larson, reservist who is currently an individual mobilization augmentee assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command Headquarters, said the PHAP office has been very helpful to him and his family.

“When I needed assistance with finding help for my mom who has Alzheimer’s, the PHAP responded very quickly,” Larson said. “They were able to help me navigate through all the different helping agencies to select one that would benefit my mother the best. The also helped me find low-cost transportation options for my mom when she could no longer drive and then with finding a nursing home.”

“I had never had to deal with getting help for my mom before,” Larson said. “My mother lives out of state and I did not know where to begin.”

“We establish close relationships with our clients and get to know them and their lives inside and out,” Boyd said. “We will find them resources then figure out what fits best for them, and if that resource didn’t work, then we will go to plan B. And unique to the PHAP office is that we are able to provide the follow- up that no one else really can.”

“If we can help with just one thing, it almost makes it feel like everything else is doable so it gives them hope,” Boyd said. “We try to do whatever it takes for success.”

Snider said the PHAP works but sometimes people don’t take an advantage of it. “We are here 24/7 and always have our phones on,” Snider said.

For additional information, contact the PHAP office at 937-656-1709 or go to http://www.afrc.af.mil/AboutUs/PHAP.aspx.

Story courtesy of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

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