DoD mental health problem grows
Gov Exec reports that the number of defense personnel with mental health problems is growing.
The Department of Defense is dealing with a “large and growing mental health problem” among servicemembers, according to a new series of military reports.
The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center says that over 767,000 active-duty military personnel have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder over the past ten years, Government Executive reports.
Perhaps more dramatically, between January of 2000 and December of last year, the diagnoses of mental disorders jumped by 60 percent.
The reports say the number of hospitalizations remained fairly stable between 2000 and 2006 but then shot up 50 percent between 2006 and 2009.
The Center released four mental health reports in its November Medical Surveillance Monthly Report. They say the greatest number of admissions comes from the Army. They list mental health disorders as the number-one cause of hospitalization for men in the service.
This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.
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