The Foreign Service Journal, December 2014

44 DECEMBER 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Today, more colleagues are serving at more high-threat, austere and significant hard- ship posts than ever before. AFSA is working to ensure that members receive the language and security aware- ness training necessary to safely and eectively engage while overseas, and the men- tal and physical care they need while there and when they return. In 2013, Mental Health Services—under the Oce of Medical Services umbrella—was reorganized to focus more attention on the mental health needs of employees and their families. The Employee Consulta- tion Service was split into the Employee Assistance Program and the Deployment Stress Management Program, and a separate Child and Family Program. Deployment Stress Management Program In 2007, Congress directed the State Department to establish a unique program for Foreign Service members en route to or returning from high-threat, high-risk posts. The result is the Deployment Stress Management Pro- gram, which covers the entire deployment cycle. In September, AFSA discussed with Employee Consultation Service sta their outreach eorts and employee assistance pro- grams. At that time employ- Mental Health and the Foreign Service ees could receive prolonged exposure treatment con- sisting of 8 to 10 in-house sessions. This intensive treatment, coupled with a six-month rein- tegration program, ensured that employees received in- house assistance from prac- titioners familiar with Foreign Service employment. Each year, approximately a dozen or so employees have availed of this in-house assistance. Utilizing best practices and guidelines recommended by the American Psychiatric Association and the Depart- ment of Veterans Aairs National Center for PTSD, the Oce of Medical Services is improving the comprehen- sive diagnosis and treatment of employees with deploy- ment stress-related medical, neurologic and psychiatric conditions. MED is developing referral networks for employees, both in theWashington, D.C., area and at other nationally recog- nized centers of excellence. AFSA encourages MED to continue to review these changes and their impact on the quality of care for employ- ees. We believe it is impor- tant that employees have access to the best resources, whether in house or through external partners, to address “the sacrifices and strains of the work we’ve all chosen to do together”—as Secretary of State John Kerry wrote in his May 2013 letter to employees. Clinical Social Workers In March, while visiting col- leagues in Kabul and Islam- abad, I had the opportunity to meet with a Foreign Service clinical social worker. The Service currently has five social workers on limited non-career appointments serving in Baghdad, Kabul and Islamabad, in addition to the regional medical ocers and regional medical psychia- trists covering the region. These medical profession- als serve on the front lines ensuring that employees receive the mental care and assistance required. The department introduced the social workers in 2005, and they have been well received by post management, employees and MED. AFSA welcomes these new members to the Service and encourages the depart- ment to consider expanding their presence to the other high-threat, high-risk posts. Moreover, if and when posts go through authorized or ordered departures (or, as in the case of Baghdad, a “temporary relocation”), MED and AFSA strongly support mission management’s inclu- sion of these individuals on the minimal stang lists. It is exactly in those more stressful situations that their services are most needed. Medical and Security Clearances Employees often ask about potential negative conse- quences of disclosing mental health issues. However, the medical and security clear- ance processes are con- ducted completely indepen- dently of one another. Counseling is provided on a confidential basis, with a disclosure exception for employees believed to be a danger to self, others or our national security. As Sec. Kerry has stated, “No one at the department has lost a clearance because he or she sought mental health counseling or treat- ment.” See “Mental Health” in the October 2010 edition of State Magazine (www.bit.ly/ StateMag1010) for more on mental health and security clearances. The Foreign Service is unique, and AFSA is working to ensure that we have access to the best in-house and external resources necessary to support our employees. Moreover, in the event that an employee is physically or mentally injured overseas, he or she must know that the State Department will do everything it can to provide the protections, care and administrative leave autho- rized in department regula- tions (3 FAM 3464.5). n Next Month: Marijuana Decriminalization, Legalization and the Foreign Service STATE VP VOICE | BY MATTHEW ASADA AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP. Contact: asadam@state.gov | (202) 647-8160 | @matthewasada