Research Brief
Military Behavioral Health Technicians
Oct 7, 2019
The demands that military behavioral health technicians face have evolved as the armed services' needs have changed. Is this valuable component of the Military Health System mental health care workforce adequately prepared? Are their skills being put to the best use? The authors provide preliminary insights on selection, training, roles, and responsibilities. These recommendations will help to optimize their training and roles in the field.
A Review of Training, Practice, and Professional Development
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Since as far back as World War II, behavioral health technicians (BHTs) have been used to increase the capacity of the military behavioral health workforce and ensure that service members who need behavioral health care have access to high-quality, efficient services. The demands that BHTs face have undoubtedly evolved alongside the changing needs of the military, but it is unclear whether this valuable component of the Military Health System (MHS) mental health care workforce is adequately prepared to fulfill these roles or whether the MHS is making the best use of BHTs' skills. This report provides preliminary insights on selection, training, roles, and responsibilities. Though BHT training is based on the expected roles and responsibilities of BHTs, there may be opportunities to better align the curriculum with the demands of BHTs in the field and the needs of the population they serve. In addition, findings suggest that BHTs may not consistently have the opportunity to apply the full extent of their clinical training, and there is a need to better understand how factors such as setting, supervisor preferences, and availability of ongoing training affect their roles. The recommendations presented provide preliminary suggestions on ways to optimize the training and roles of BHTs in the field, with the goal of ensuring that the MHS can continue meeting the need for high-quality mental health care among service members and their families.
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Behavioral Health Technician Selection and Training
Chapter Three
Behavioral Health Technician Roles and Responsibilities
Chapter Four
Summary and Recommendations
Appendix A
Policy and Curriculum Documents Reviewed
Appendix B
Literature Review Search Terms
This research was sponsored by the Psychological Health Center of Excellence (PHCoE) and conducted within the Forces and Resources Policy Center of the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community.
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