Policy Analysis of Mental Health Treatment in Military Populations — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Instructions

Student presentations must have a faculty sponsor.

Abstracts must include a title and a description of the research, scholarship, or creative work. The description should be 150-225 words in length and constructed in a format or style appropriate for the presenter’s discipline.

The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

A clear statement of the problem or question you pursued, or the scholarly goal or creative theme achieved in your work.
A brief comment about the significance or uniqueness of the work.
A clear description of the methods used to achieve the purpose or goals for the work.
A statement of the conclusions, results, outcomes, or recommendations, or if the work is still in progress, the results you expect to report at the event.

Presenter photographs should be head and shoulder shots comparable to passport photos.

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

Policy Analysis of Mental Health Treatment in Military Populations

Name: Brooke Kahly
Major: Social Work, Criminal Justice
Hometown: Freeport, IL
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors: Danielle Geary
Type of research: Senior thesis
Funding: N/A

Abstract

The trauma of war is hardly new, but the battles following deployments are often greater than many of us can imagine. Scars and prosthetics can be physical reminders of the sacrifices service members have made, but the invisible scars – the mental and emotional wounds – can be as crippling as a missing limb. One in every three veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress symptoms, but only half will seek help. If these wounds are left untreated, they can lead to substance abuse, suicide, increased marital problems, unemployment, and homelessness. There are four different health care systems that provide services specifically to the military populations, but there are many deficiencies and flaws within these systems. The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the current policies regarding mental healthcare treatment in military populations. A meta-analysis will be completed of these policies to discover areas which need improvement for better access and attitudes toward treatment. Just as we must provide our troops with the equipment and tools they need when they are sent to battle, we must do more to help veterans battle the enemy of mental illness.