title: Chaplaincy and mental health in the department of Veterans affairs and department of defense.
abstract: Chaplains play important roles in caring for Veterans and Service members with mental health problems. As part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Integrated Mental Health Strategy, we used a sequential approach to examining intersections between chaplaincy and mental health by gathering and building upon: 1) input from key subject matter experts; 2) quantitative data from the VA / DoD Chaplain Survey (N = 2,163; response rate of 75% in VA and 60% in DoD); and 3) qualitative data from site visits to 33 VA and DoD facilities. Findings indicate that chaplains are extensively involved in caring for individuals with mental health problems, yet integration between mental health and chaplaincy is frequently limited due to difficulties between the disciplines in establishing familiarity and trust. We present recommendations for improving integration of services, and we suggest key domains for future research.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health and Chaplaincy Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27701, USA. jason.nieuwsma@duke.edu
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nieuwsma
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.forename: Marian E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dekraai
authors.forename: Denise J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bulling
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ethridge
authors.forename: Kent D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Drescher
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fitchett
authors.forename: Wendy N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Tenhula
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milstein
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: Keith G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Meador
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014481:United States; D059030:United States Department of Defense; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology