A Ten-Year Review of Treating Active Duty Military Service Members in a Gold-Standard Western Region Military Intensive Outpatient Program

Abstract

Prior to the integration of Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) into the U.S Army Behavioral Health Service Line (BHSL) in 2015, very few military IOPs existed to meet the unique needs of active-duty service members. As a director and clinician of the gold-standard Western region military IOP, it is imperative to share first-hand experiences and expertise with the scientific community so that it can be used as a template for the future establishment of IOPs. Along with these first-hand experiences and expertise, evidentiary support from current research on best practices for operating Military IOPs is offered. It is noteworthy to mention that from the inception of this Western region military IOP in 2010 to the present, treatment outcomes have been maintained and analyzed to substantiate the clinical benefits of this program. These clinical outcome measures were the determining factor used by U.S. Army MEDCOM to substantiate IOPs as a BHSL. This IOP provides fiscally cost-effective treatment and decreases the length of hospitalization time resulting in lowered fiscal expenses. Furthermore, a rationale and analysis for the utilization of dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and complimentary alternative medicine as treatment modalities in current IOP is justified. Along with the above topics, this article also reviews the relevancy and benefits of group therapy as a viable intervention in the context of military culture and group cohesion.

Keywords:

• Intensive outpatient programs
• dialectic behavior therapy
• cognitive processing therapy
• complimentary alternative medicine
• trauma
• military
• groups
• evidence-based treatment
• military sexual trauma
• combat trauma

Acknowledgments

This research received no special funding. Special thanks to all current and past IOP team members, volunteers that have supported and improved the program. This program would not have been successful without their unique skill set and passions to help heal our active duty service members.

Grant/special funding disclosure

This work received no special funding.

Data availability statement

No data is associated with this works.

Notes

1 From the Institutional Component of Private Sector Mental Health Care Summary October 2007–September 2010 (FY08–FY12) and are relevant only to Inpatient Care purchased.