Virtual Roundtable: Providing Behavioral Health Services to Diverse Service Members

September 24, 2012

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE) and the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on serving military service members (including the Reserve and National Guard), veterans and military families from diverse populations on September 13, 2012. The primary goal of this virtual roundtable was to provide a framework for addressing psychological health issues of and providing transition assistance to military service members, veterans, their families and children from diverse populations. The event allowed community-based providers from the NNED to learn about resources available to serve these populations, as well as a forum to provide feedback about potential barriers or challenges to providing mental health and substance abuse services. NNED members had an opportunity to help shape the discussion by providing input to the facilitators prior to the roundtable. 

Watch the Virtual Roundtable recording.

Facilitator

Gregory A. Leskin, Ph.D.  |  Director, Military Families Initiatives, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress

Introduction by:

Rachele C. Espiritu, Ph.D.  |  Project Director, NNED National Facilitation Center

Not a NNED Member yet?Apply to become a NNED Partner or Affiliate. Learn more about becoming a NNED Partner. This virtual roundtable was open to NNED Partners and Affiliates.

About the Facilitator: Gregory Leskin, PhD. is a clinical psychologist and Director, Military Families Initiatives at the UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. Dr. Leskin completed his training at the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles in Multicultural Community-Clinical Psychology. Prior to joining UCLA, Dr. Leskin worked as a clinical researcher, educator and trainer at the National Center for PTSD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System. He has written many scientific articles and book chapters on traumatic stress, assessment and treatment of PTSD, rehabilitation strategies for traumatic brain injury, and promoting psychological resilience.

 Executive Order — Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families: On Friday, August 31, 2012, President Obama signed an executive order directing key federal agencies to expand suicide prevention strategies and improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for veterans, service members, and their families. Read the executive order.