As friends and supervisors, we know it is our responsibility to look out for our friends and coworkers. When they are in trouble, we try to help. When they are feeling down and we think that they may hurt themselves, or possibly someone else, we want to make sure they get some assistance. But how should it be done?
The process for helping others get assistance can be a little tricky. You may want to get the individual over to Life Skills for help: what do you do if the individual doesn’t want to go, but has demonstrated possible suicidal tendencies?
Your instinct tells you to take them to Life Skills right away to get some help. This is partially correct. One thing to keep in mind is that according to AFI 44-109, Section 4, supervisors may encourage an individual to go to Life Skills voluntarily, but only the commander can refer/direct an individual to Life Skills for an evaluation.
Your first sergeant should be one of the first individuals you contact if you feel someone needs help. He/she will then get with the commander to determine what type of referral to Life Skills the individual needs.
There are two types of referrals for a mental health evaluation. The first is the commander directed evaluation. There is a specific process the commander must follow to refer an individual to Life Skills for this evaluation. This involves the commander notifying the individual of the referral in writing, informing the individual of the process and their rights.
The second referral is the Emergency CDE. This is where someone feels the individual needs immediate assistance, because the member has demonstrated tendencies that they could possibly injure him/herself or another individual. This individual should be immediately taken to Life Skills, and the commander immediately notified so that he/she can start the paperwork process.
Both of these processes need to be followed to protect the individual’s rights. Commanders and first sergeants should be familiar with AFI 44-109 and DoDI 6490.4 concerning Mental Health Evaluation referrals.
One issue to watch out for is what is known as a “Safety Check.” According to a talking paper from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe legal office, MHEs conducted as a result of a CDE must neither be abbreviated nor performed by unqualified individuals.
Abbreviated MHEs called “Safety Checks” are evidently not standardized and clearly not authorized. Furthermore, paragraph 6.3.3.1, DoDI 6490.4, states that only Department of Defense psychiatrists, doctoral-level clinical psychologists or doctoral-level clinical social workers with clinical practice privileges have the authority to clinically evaluate members for “imminent dangerousness.”
The bottom line is that we as friends and supervisors need to look out for our friends and coworkers, but we also need to ensure we take care of them the correct way. If you have any questions concerning the Mental Health Evaluation referral process, contact your local Inspector General or Life Skills office. They are there to help.
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As friends and supervisors, we know it is our responsibility to look out for our friends and coworkers. When they are in trouble, we try to help. When they are feeling down and we think that they may hurt themselves, or possibly someone else, we want to make sure they get some assistance. But how should it be done?
The process for helping others get assistance can be a little tricky. You may want to get the individual over to Life Skills for help: what do you do if the individual doesn’t want to go, but has demonstrated possible suicidal tendencies?
Your instinct tells you to take them to Life Skills right away to get some help. This is partially correct. One thing to keep in mind is that according to AFI 44-109, Section 4, supervisors may encourage an individual to go to Life Skills voluntarily, but only the commander can refer/direct an individual to Life Skills for an evaluation.
Your first sergeant should be one of the first individuals you contact if you feel someone needs help. He/she will then get with the commander to determine what type of referral to Life Skills the individual needs.
There are two types of referrals for a mental health evaluation. The first is the commander directed evaluation. There is a specific process the commander must follow to refer an individual to Life Skills for this evaluation. This involves the commander notifying the individual of the referral in writing, informing the individual of the process and their rights.
The second referral is the Emergency CDE. This is where someone feels the individual needs immediate assistance, because the member has demonstrated tendencies that they could possibly injure him/herself or another individual. This individual should be immediately taken to Life Skills, and the commander immediately notified so that he/she can start the paperwork process.
Both of these processes need to be followed to protect the individual’s rights. Commanders and first sergeants should be familiar with AFI 44-109 and DoDI 6490.4 concerning Mental Health Evaluation referrals.
One issue to watch out for is what is known as a “Safety Check.” According to a talking paper from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe legal office, MHEs conducted as a result of a CDE must neither be abbreviated nor performed by unqualified individuals.
Abbreviated MHEs called “Safety Checks” are evidently not standardized and clearly not authorized. Furthermore, paragraph 6.3.3.1, DoDI 6490.4, states that only Department of Defense psychiatrists, doctoral-level clinical psychologists or doctoral-level clinical social workers with clinical practice privileges have the authority to clinically evaluate members for “imminent dangerousness.”
The bottom line is that we as friends and supervisors need to look out for our friends and coworkers, but we also need to ensure we take care of them the correct way. If you have any questions concerning the Mental Health Evaluation referral process, contact your local Inspector General or Life Skills office. They are there to help.