title: Placement of combat stress teams in Afghanistan: reducing barriers to care.
abstract: This article describes the medical planning process whereby combat stress and mental health clinicians were placed at Forward Operating Bases in southern and western Afghanistan during a period of intensive surge operations in 2009-2010. The distribution plan for the Combat Stress Control teams was based on previously published guidance on ratios of combat stress personnel to troop end-strength, population at-risk data, and kinetic activity associated with current and future combat operations. The article concludes with outcome data that validates the distribution decisions made through the planning process. Through dissemination of this information, it is hoped that future planners and clinicians can improve the processes involved in providing combat stress and mental health services to forward-deployed troops.
authors.affiliation: Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Portsmouth, VA 23708, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suttinger
authors.forename: Ayessa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toler
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008889:Military Personnel; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013315:Stress, Psychological