THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY AUGUST 2024 29 “N early 20% of children and young people ages 3-17 in the United States have a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, and suicidal behaviors among high school students increased more than 40% in the decade before 2019. ... These trends were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the National Library of Medicine reported in 2022. These sobering statistics mean that many Foreign Service children and families are experiencing mental health challenges, or will. And that is without accounting for the unique stressors of the Foreign Service lifestyle, such as constant relocation, which can be trying even at the best of times. Lia Miller, a career Foreign Service officer, has served in Armenia, Bolivia, Tunisia, Nicaragua, Oman, and Washington, D.C. She is a 2023 graduate of the Naval War College and currently serves in a faculty position focused on State Department–Defense Department foreign policy related to women, peace, and security. She is also an award-winning freelance writer. Mental Health First Aid for Foreign Service Families Here is a practical first aid kit for mental health for Foreign Service families. BY LIA MILLER FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT BETH WALROND
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