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Appendix D
Program Reviews
T
his appendix summarizes programs identified in the Comprehensive
Plan on Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Substance Use
Disorders and Disposition of Substance Use Offenders in the Armed
Forces (Comprehensive Plan) (DoD, 2011) as pertaining to the preven-
tion, diagnosis, treatment, and management of substance use disorders
(SUDs). Summary tables on each program1 are followed by descriptive
analyses based on the committee’s review of relevant information gathered
from policies, responses to information requests, the published literature,
public meetings, and site visits. In addition to the programs discussed in
the Department of Defense (DoD) report, the committee learned during
the course of its research about additional pertinent programs worthy of
inclusion here. These programs are reviewed at the end of the section on
each branch. Several DoD programs are cited by the individual branches
in the Comprehensive Plan as programs they implement; additionally, the
branches occasionally make use of each other’s programs. To avoid redun-
dancy, these programs are reviewed in the sections on the branches respon-
sible for their development and/or initial implementation and referenced in
the sections on the other branches that utilize them.
1 The summary tables are excerpted from the Comprehensive Plan (Appendix C). The
elements in the tables and the subsequent findings on each program contained within were
generated by DoD for the Comprehensive Plan. Based on the information presented in the
Comprehensive Plan, the committee noted that when evidence-based practices (EBPs) are
identified for a program, it is in many cases unclear to what extent they are being used or how
specifically they are implemented.
305
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306 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Red Ribbon Campaign
Program
Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Clinical Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The national Red Ribbon • Prevention • N/A • Active Duty • N/A*
campaign raises public
awareness and mobilizes • Dependents
communities to combat
tobacco, alcohol and
drug use among military
personnel, civilians and
their families.
NOTE: EBP = evidence-based practice; N/A = not applicable.
*Note that the entry on the Red Ribbon campaign in the DoD section of Appendix C of the
Comprehensive Plan lists “N/A” in the “EBP” column, while the entry in the Air Force section
suggests that the campaign does, in fact, employ EBPs, including “community-based processes,
environmental strategies, information dissemination, alternative activities, education and
problem recognition and referral.”
Red Ribbon Week is an annual campaign that is conducted nationwide
in the United States every October both at the community level and on
military bases. Consequently, it has the capacity to reach service members
and their families at all stages of military involvement except deployment
outside of the United States. Within DoD, the targets are active duty
service members (ADSMs) and their families, as well as the community
at large. The focus is on raising awareness about SUD prevention and
risk factors (DEA, 2012). The program’s website indicates that “Red
Ribbon Week educates individuals, families, and communities on the
destructive effects of alcohol and drugs and encourages the adoption of
healthy lifestyle choices.” The program is a universal prevention campaign
aimed at addressing peer pressure and prosocial bonding in youth, as well
as parent monitoring. Thus, it is most developmentally appropriate for
young military members with families. The primary setting for delivery
is the community, although as noted, the campaign can be implemented
on base. The committee finds there is no evidence on this program’s
effectiveness, and both military bases and communities vary widely in
the activities they sponsor under the auspices of the campaign. There is
presently no published information on Red Ribbon’s theoretical basis or
on its outcomes.
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APPENDIX D 307
That Guy Alcohol Abuse Prevention Education Campaign
Program
Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Clinical Focus Outcomesa Populationb EBPsc
•
That Guy is a multi- • Prevention •
Number of • Active Duty • N/A
media campaign personnel
designed to reduce joining social
binge drinking among network sites
military enlisted
personnel ages 18-24. •
Change in
drinking
•
The campaign behavior
includes online and where
offline advertising implemented
and promotions,
viral marketing, a •
Overall
website, www.thatguy. awareness of
com, public service campaign
announcements, and
branded collateral •
Change in
materials. drinking
attitudes
NOTE: EBP = evidence-based practice; N/A = not applicable.
a The table on this program in the Navy section of Appendix C of the Comprehensive Plan
lists the following under “Program Evaluation/Outcomes”: “Total number of visits per month
to website per Service, Average number of minutes per visit spent on website per Service, To-
tal number of public service announcements per Service, and Number of promotional items
distributed.”
b The table on this program in the Navy section identifies Reserves as an additional target
population.
c The table on this program in the Navy section lists “CSAP [Center for Substance Abuse
Prevention] prevention strategies” under EBPs.
The That Guy campaign uses on- and offline public service announce-
ments, a website with animated risk scenarios and modeling of prevention
techniques, and prevention marketing. Because of its accessibility by Internet,
the campaign can reach National Guard and Reserve members, although its
primary focus is on ADSMs. In a typical animated scenario, a service member
is shown exhibiting socially inappropriate behavior after drinking. The sce-
nario is designed to show negative consequences of binge drinking, including
negative reactions from military peers. Alternative scenarios with positive
decision making and outcomes also are depicted. This campaign is most
developmentally appropriate for younger ADSMs. The overall aims are to
increase awareness about the hazards of excessive drinking and shift attitudes
toward this behavior. This represents a change from the precontemplation to
the contemplation stage of substance use behavior according to Prochastka
and Velicer’s (1997) transtheoretical stage of change model.
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308 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
In reviewing this program, the committee found that it uses evidence-
based practices of modeling, rehearsal, discussion, and practice and focuses
primarily on negative perceived consequences, negative social consequences,
and peer pressure. Because it is an Internet-based campaign, its setting can
be anywhere. Repeat use is dependent on the user. The March 2012 That
Guy newsletter (That Guy Campaign, 2012) reports several statistics on
reach and usage for 2011, including
• There were more than 1.3 million ThatGuy.com sessions.
• Users spent an average of 9 minutes on the site.
• The That Guy Facebook page had more than 26,000 fans.
• More than 2.7 million branded materials were being used by all of
the branches.
• More than 4,200 points of contact were engaged across the globe.
• More than 800 installations, ships, fleets, submarines, and units
had engaged in the campaign.
• Forty-seven states and 22 countries had a That Guy presence.
According to a recent RAND report, an annual DoD survey of forces
indicated that awareness of the campaign had increased over time, and
attitudes toward excessive drinking had changed (Weinick et al., 2011).
DoD, TRICARE Management Activity, and Fleishmann-Hillard released
a paper on That Guy in 2009 that mentions a “statistically significant
increase in awareness of That Guy and a positive shift in attitudes toward
excessive drinking,” but does not describe an evaluation methodology or
provide outcome data (DoD et al., 2009, p. 2). There has as yet been no
formal outcome evaluation of the That Guy campaign in a peer-reviewed
journal, and based on its findings, the committee cannot determine whether
the program is effective at preventing risky drinking and alcohol misuse.
Health Assessments
Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) Screening
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
Personnel are screened • Screening •
Percent •
Active •
Screening
annually for substance of ADSM Duty typically by
use related issues during who AUDIT-C,
the annual preventive complete • Reserve but
health assessment. annual screening
Services vary as to PHA •
National tools choice
their use of screening Guard can vary*
instruments.
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APPENDIX D 309
Force Health Protection and Readiness Post-Deployment
Health Assessment (PDHA) and Post-Deployment
Health Reassessment (PDHRA) Program
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
• review each service’s
To • Prevention •
Compre- •
Active • AUDIT-C
member’s current hensive Duty
health, mental health/ • Screening quality
substance abuse or assurance • Reserve
psychosocial issues program
commonly associated •
National
with deployments, Guard
special medications taken
during deployment,
possible deployment-
related occupational/
environmental
exposures, and to discuss
deployment related
health concerns. Positive
responses require use of
supplemental assessment
tools and/or referrals for
medical consultation.
The provider documents
concerns available to
help resolve any post-
deployment issues.
•
The new DoD policy
mandates person-to-
person mental health
assessments prior to
deployment and then
three times after return
from deployment. These
assessments include use of
the Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test-
Consumption (AUDIT-C),
as well as intervention by
a primary care provider,
based on the number of
positive responses made
by the Service member on
the AUDIT-C.
NOTE: ADSM = active duty service member; AUDICT-C = Alcohol Use Disorders Identifica-
tion Test-Consumption; DoD = Department of Defense; EBP = evidence-based practice; N/A =
not applicable; PHA = periodic health assessment.
*In the Air Force, all service members are assessed for hazardous drinking and alcohol abuse
and dependence based on the AUDIT-C.
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310 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
Health assessments of military members are conducted during active
military duty service on a yearly basis, as well as pre- and postdeployment.
Health assessment could be considered a prevention strategy to the extent
that the provider discusses SUD risk factors or the service member raises
questions about risk factors or strategies for preventing SUDs, but its pri-
mary focus is on screening.
DoD’s pre- and postdeployment health assessments have three stages.
Stage 1 is based on self-report and has the objective of defining high-risk
groups. The first three questions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identifica-
tion Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) are used to detect risky drinking as
part of Stage 1. Stage 2 collects additional information if Stage 1 screen-
ing is positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. If
Stage 1 screening with AUDIT-C is positive, Stage 3 consists of a provider
interview in which brief intervention for risky drinking is administered or
a referral is made. The provider training for the deployment health assess-
ments instructs the provider to do the following in the brief intervention:
bring attention to the elevated level of drinking; recommend limiting use or
abstaining; inform about the effects of alcohol on health; explore and help/
support in choosing a drinking goal; and follow up and refer for specialty
treatment, if indicated (Vythilingam et al., 2010). Referral is recommended
when the service member requires further evaluation of use, has tried and
has been unable to change on his/her own, has had prior treatment, has
had a recent problem with alcohol that resulted in counseling or referral
to treatment, or has an AUDIT-C score equal to or greater than 8. Refer-
ral options vary with the service member’s status, and include emergency
behavioral health referral and referral to a provider in a military treatment
facility, a TRICARE purchased care provider, a Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) medical center, a Veterans (VET) center, or Military OneSource
(DoD, 2010; Vythilingam et al., 2010).
The committee finds that the use of AUDIT-C for pre- and postdeploy-
ment health assessments is an appropriate means of screening for excessive
and hazardous alcohol use; AUDIT-C is well known and has been well
validated for use in a variety of settings. Unfortunately, the only service
branch to require the use of AUDIT-C in periodic health assessments is the
Air Force. The other branches recommend screening by a clinician but do
not identify specific screening tools to be used. The committee would prefer
to see AUDIT-C used uniformly across all the branches and in all health
assessments, independently of whether they are related to deployment.
A second important consideration in evaluating screening in both peri-
odic and deployment-related health assessments is that positive screening
should lead to further intervention depending on the severity of the condi-
tion being screened for. In the case of alcohol, identification of excessive
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APPENDIX D 311
use should lead to a more detailed assessment and brief intervention, with
referral to treatment as indicated. Indeed, as described above, Stage 3 of
the pre- and postdeployment assessments follows this procedure. However,
studies have found that while positive screening rates for alcohol misuse
can be as high as 27 percent among Army soldiers in postdeployment health
assessments (Santiago et al., 2010), only a small proportion of those who
screen positive ever receive treatment. For instance, Milliken and colleagues
(2007) report that 12 percent of soldiers screened positive for alcohol mis-
use in postdeployment assessments, but only 0.2 percent were referred to
the Army Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP), and only 0.05 percent
were actually seen at ASAP within 90 days of referral. This situation is
critical because members who screen positive for alcohol misuse are likely
also to be engaged in risky behaviors such as drinking and driving and illicit
drug use (Santiago et al., 2010).
The committee finds this low rate of referral and treatment for those
who screen positive to be related to the stigma associated with substance
abuse treatment in the military. Such stigma also exists in the larger society,
but it is stronger in the military in part because of the requirement to inform
Command when service members are admitted for SUD treatment. Many
service members fear that Command knowledge of their need for treatment
will negatively impact their career (Gibbs et al., 2011). The committee finds
that the low rates of referral resulting from a positive screen for alcohol
misuse in pre- and postdeployment health assessments represent a threat to
public health and force readiness.
Military Pathways
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
Program offers service •
Prevention •
Numbers of •
Active •
EBPs
personnel and their screenings Duty are
families the opportunity to • Screening utilized
take anonymous, mental •
Quantities • Reserve
health and alcohol use self- of
assessments online, via the promotional •
National
phone, and through special materials Guard
events held at installations. distributed
Program is designed to • Dependents
help individuals identify • ustomer
C
their own symptoms and satisfaction
access assistance before a
problem becomes serious.
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312 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The self-assessments
address posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD),
depression, generalized
anxiety disorder, alcohol
use, and bipolar disorder.
After completing a self-
assessment, individuals
receive referral information
including services provided
by TRICARE, Military
OneSource, and Vet
Centers.
NOTE: EBP = evidence-based practice.
Military Pathways encompasses a multifaceted set of program compo-
nents aimed primarily at universal prevention. The program also includes
a self-assessment/self-screening component that can serve as secondary
prevention for military members who identify themselves as being at per-
sonal risk for SUD and subsequently seek help. Designed by the nonprofit
organization Screening for Mental Health, the program has as its primary
goals to “reduce stigma, raise awareness about mental health, and connect
those in need to available resources” (Military Pathways, 2012, p. 1). The
multiple components of the program (described in the table above) enable
repetition of prevention education. A theoretical basis is implied by pro-
gram content that includes empowerment building and social and family
support seeking. The empowerment content is consistent with military life
and institutional goals of fitness. A RAND report estimates that this inter-
vention reaches more than 305,000 ADSMs and their families each year
(Weinick et al., 2011). The program targets ADSMS and their families pri-
marily at entry into the military and predeployment. However, it is assumed
that the online, telephone, and video components of the program can be
accessed at any stage of military life. The family resiliency kit and a special
program for youth (Signs of Suicide, or SOS) are special components aimed
directly at military family members (although they do not apply specifically
to the prevention of substance abuse); trained paraprofessionals deliver the
family kit, and school professionals (not specified) deliver the SOS program
to youth in schools. The RAND report (Weinick et al., 2011) cites ongoing
trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the self-screening and youth program
components, but no outcome data have yet been published on the alcohol,
PTSD, or mental health screening components. Without such data, the
committee cannot comment on the extent to which the program is evidence
based or effective at preventing and screening for SUDs.
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APPENDIX D 313
Real Warriors Campaign
Program
Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Clinical Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
• multimedia public
A • Prevention •
Numbers of • Active Duty • N/A
education initiative calls or hits
designed to address the • Dependents
stigma associated with •
Customer
seeking psychological satisfaction
health care and encourage
service members and their
families to reach out to
resources.
•
The Real Warriors
Campaign website, public
service announcements
and broadcasts on Armed
Services Radio encourage
service members and
their families to seek help
for psychological health
issues including SUD.
•
The website includes
original articles focused
specifically on substance
misuse and providing
individuals multiple
avenues to care.
NOTE: EBP = evidence-based practice; N/A = not applicable; SUD = substance use disorder.
The Real Warriors Campaign is an initiative launched by the Defense
Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
(DCoE). While its goal is to “promote the processes of building resilience,
facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service mem-
bers, veterans and their families” (DCoE, 2012, p. 1), the program is not
specifically aimed at the prevention of substance abuse. The campaign
was developed in response to recommendations of the 2007 DoD Task
Force on Mental Health designed to remove the barriers that often prevent
service members from obtaining treatment for psychological health issues
and traumatic brain injury (Weinick et al., 2011). Utilizing print materials,
media outreach, an interactive website, and social media, the campaign
features stories of actual service members who have sought treatment and
continue to maintain successful military or civilian careers. In developing
the program, DCoE did a thorough job of analyzing the characteristics of
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314 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
the service members who would be seeking treatment, and conducted litera-
ture searches and focus groups to determine the most effective content to
include in the campaign (Acosta et al., 2012; DCoE, 2012). While RAND
did conduct a recent study to assess the content, design, and dissemination
of the campaign (Acosta et al., 2012), to date, no outcome evaluation has
been conducted. DCoE does require the collection of various process indi-
cators, such as the number of visitors to the website, but without further
evaluation the committee cannot determine if this program is effective at
preventing SUDs.
Military and Civilian Drug Testing Program
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The military and • Prevention •
Percentage •
Active •
EBPs
civilian drug testing of mandated Duty are
programs are a population utilized
primary component testing per year • Reserve
of the installation
Drug Demand •
Rate of
Reduction Programs. untestable
The program works samples
to ensure a drug-free
workplace. •
Rate of verified
positive samples
NOTES: This table is included in the section on Air Force programs in Appendix C of the
Comprehensive Plan, but is, in fact, a DoD-wide initiative. In addition, the Navy makes use
of a software tool called the Navy Drug Screening Program that randomizes testing. EBP =
evidence-based practice.
The Military and Civilian Drug Testing Program is identified in the
Comprehensive Plan as both a prevention and screening program. The
program is guided by policy (DoD, 1994), and the stated prevention aim
is deterrence. The implied prevention mediator is increasing the perceived
negative consequences of positive drug testing rather than drug use per se.
As described in Chapter 5, however, there is no clear evidence from con-
trolled studies that drug testing is an effective prevention strategy. While
the decline in rates of substance use in the military correlates temporally
with the inception of drug testing for specific substances (see Chapter 2),
there have been no studies assessing the causal relationship between the
two; therefore, the committee cannot report on the effectiveness of the drug
testing program in preventing SUDs.
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APPENDIX D 315
Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling (ASAC) Program
Program
Purpose Clinical Evaluation/ Target
and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The ASAC • Prevention •
Total •
Dependents •
ASAC
program number of counselors
provides • Screening prevention are trained
substance abuse classes in EBPs such
counseling • Diagnosis as outcome-
services •
Total informed
including • Treatment number of counseling,
outreach, students solution-
prevention, referred focused
education, and counseling,
referral services •
Total brief
to adolescents number of interventions,
in selected students and ASAM
OCONUS enrolled Patient
middle and Placement
high schools. •
Total Criteria
number of
students
screened but
not enrolled
NOTES: The ASAC program is listed as an Air Force program in Appendix C of the Com-
prehensive Plan, but the committee learned during the course of its research that it is used by
other branches as well, and therefore listed it here in the section on DoD programs. ASAC =
Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling; ASAM = American Society of Addiction Medicine;
EBP = evidence-based practice; OCONUS = outside of contiguous United States.
ASAC was initially listed as a Science Applications International Cor-
poration contract with the Army, but now also includes Air Force (where
ASAC is listed under “DoD/Service Branch” programs), Navy, and Marine
Corps dependents. The focus is on children of military families in 6th
through 12th grades who are considered at risk for substance use and
who are authorized to use military treatment facilities. Contracted provid-
ers who include licensed and certified counselors deliver early interven-
tion counseling with adolescents and their parents and, if necessary, make
referrals to additional services (U.S. Army, 2011). The counselors may
include social workers, substance use counselors, family therapists, and
psychologists. The program is delivered in DoD-dependent schools, in civil-
ian schools, and within other existing substance abuse programs for the
military. Services specified in the contract include treatment, identification
and referral, and prevention education (U.S. Army, 2011).
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346 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
Alcohol-AWARE Course
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
Alcohol-AWARE •
Prevention •
Number of •
Active Duty •
N/A
is an alcohol- personnel
awareness training who attend •
Reserve
that provides basic annually
information about
alcohol use and •
7,382 (3-year
associated risks, annual average
Navy policies, throughput)
responsible drinking,
and alternatives.
•
Course is a
requirement for all
personnel.
Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor (DAPA) Course
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
This course provides •
Prevention •
Number of •
Active Duty •
N/A
training to Drug personnel
and Alcohol who attend •
Reserve
Program Advisors annually
for commands on
all matters relating •
1,421 (3-year
to alcohol or annual average
other drugs. This throughput)
collateral duty
command position
advises the CO on
all substance abuse
matters to include
administrative
screenings,
reports, prevention
education, and
monitor aftercare of
service members.
NOTE: CO = commanding officer; CSAP = Center for Substance Abuse Prevention; EBP =
e
vidence-based practice; N/A = not applicable; SARP = Substance Abuse Rehabilitation
Program.
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APPENDIX D 347
The Navy has made an extensive and impressive investment in a series
of training initiatives ranging from prevention to intervention for the entire
Navy workforce and their families to sophisticated leadership training for
commanders. Among these courses are the Prevention Specialist Course,
the Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor School (NDACS), the Clinical
P
receptorship Program, the Personal Responsibility and Values Education
and Training (PREVENT) Course, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Manage-
ment Seminar (ADAMS) for Supervisors and the ADAMS for Leaders
Courses, the Alcohol-AWARE Course, and the Drug and Alcohol Program
Advisor (DAPA) Course.
The purpose of the Prevention Specialist Course is to prepare installa-
tion personnel who are responsible for prevention programming. Partici-
pants take a certification examination upon completing the course. These
specialists then design their own programs at local installations under the
commander’s direction. Thus, training is provided to designated personnel
in prevention programming at each installation. The committee finds that
while the content of this course appears to be appropriate, directing pre-
vention specialists to Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) strate-
gies and to a registry of evidence-based programs, the implementation of
unique prevention programs at each installation is challenging and likely to
erode overall quality. The committee also finds that it would be more cost-
effective to have branch-wide initiatives in which the prevention specialists
would receive training that could be modified to reflect local conditions.
Fidelity to the evidence-based program models could be monitored.
NDACS is a 10-week program that is divided into 7 weeks of didactic
training and 3 weeks of clinical rotation. The school convenes a new class
five times per year for military personnel who will be working in various
drug- and alcohol-related jobs, including outreach, screening, assessment,
and treatment for alcohol and other drug addictions. In reviewing the
NDACS student guide (U.S. Navy, 2011), the committee noted that basic
psychosocial theory and its application to clinical practice and basic biology
(as regards SUDs) are covered extensively. However, there is little medical
information regarding evidence-based treatment approaches, and as is the
case with virtually all training materials the committee reviewed, there is a
lack of attention to, or in this case no coverage of, the role of medication
in the treatment of SUDs.
Following their training at NDACS, graduates enter the Clinical Pre-
ceptorship Program as intern counselors. The Clinical Preceptorship Pro-
gram is a structured internship intended to develop knowledge and skills
under the mentorship of a person with advanced skills in drug and alcohol
counseling. After a minimum 12-month internship, interns may apply for
certification as alcohol and drug counselor (ADC) I.
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348 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
The PREVENT Course focuses on sailors aged 18-25 and assists them
in achieving their highest levels of personal development. It is believed
that this will reduce risk-related behaviors and enhance mission readiness.
Like the ADAMS and DAPA Courses, PREVENT has training goals and
lesson plans; its facilitator guide was prepared by the Pacific Institute for
Research and Evaluation, a group with sophisticated knowledge of preven-
tion programs.
ADAMS, developed for E-5s and above, is divided into two courses,
one directed at supervisors and the other at leaders, such as commanding
officers and executive officers. These seminars are basically a practical
leadership course and are highly regarded by Commands, as the committee
learned on its site visit to the naval base at Point Loma, California. The
current evaluation metrics appear to be limited to the number of people
trained annually.
Alcohol-AWARE is a prevention-oriented course that provides anti-
alcohol education intended for all sailors E-1 through E-4 and O-1 through
O-3. The emphasis is on leadership, deglamorization, intervention, and
accountability.
The DAPA Course trains advisers who manage and administer the
Command’s alcohol and drug abuse programs. During its San Diego site
visit, the committee heard of the critical importance of this position in
linking Command to effective SUD program and policy implementation.
Both the ADAMS and DAPA Courses have training guides, lesson
plans, and case scenarios. The committee reviewed these materials and
found them to be sound learning tools. Particularly impressive are the
ADAMS scenarios directed at supervisors and commanders. The committee
is aware of the crucial role of the Command structure in the implementa-
tion of SUD prevention and treatment programs. Hands-on training for that
Command structure through ADAMS and DAPA is essential to the success
of these programs. The committee believes the ADAMS and DAPA Courses
are models worthy of adoption by all branches.
Additional Programs and Initiatives
In addition to the programs cited by the Navy in the Comprehensive
Plan, the committee reviewed Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS).
FOCUS is a family-centered program aimed at building resiliency among
ADSMs; their spouses, children, and other family members; providers; and
other community members. As a resiliency program, its primary clinical
focus is on prevention. It is implemented and repeated over several devel-
opmental stages, including pre-, during, and postdeployment. While this
large-scale demonstration project was initiated by the Navy’s Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), it has been expanded to 18 installations
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APPENDIX D 349
serving the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Based on resiliency
theory (Rutter, 1999) and multiple family and individual resiliency pro-
grams, FOCUS is considered evidence based. The committee reviewed two
published articles on the implementation and evaluation of FOCUS (Lester
et al., 2011a, 2012). Based on this review, the committee finds FOCUS to be
a promising program that should be widely disseminated at military sites.
Efforts to evaluate the program and document its effectiveness should also
be continued.
MARINE CORPS
Marine Corps Substance Abuse Program
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The Marine •
Prevention •
Number of •
Active •
ASAM Patient
Corps Substance completion of Duty Placement
Abuse Program •
Screening treatments Criteria for
provides the treatment
screening and •
Diagnosis •
Number of of substance
assessment, treatment related
and treatment •
Treatment failures disorders
services for are used
Active Duty •
Number of re- for alcohol
military screens after treatment
members and completion of
other eligible treatment
beneficiaries
with substance
abuse disorders.
NOTE: ASAM = American Society of Addiction Medicine; EBP = evidence-based practice.
The Marine Corps Substance Abuse Program operates under the
Marine Corps Community Services Command and within the Marine and
Family Programs Division “to provide timely, consistent and effective care
for active duty military members and other eligible beneficiaries with sub-
stance abuse and dependency disorders which interfere with mission readi-
ness and inter-personal functioning” (USMC, 2011a, p. 1). The program is
responsible for prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment for SUDs.
Three program elements (prevention, drug demand reduction, and treat-
ment) form the core of the program. Prevention support services include
prevention activities, urine testing, and indicated prevention programs.
The Drug Demand Reduction program includes Command-level education
and training, compulsory random drug testing with punitive consequences,
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350 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
assessments of illegal drug use, and training and action plans at installa-
tions as needed.
Substance Abuse Counseling Centers (SACCs) provide screening and
assessment for alcohol and other drug problems. Outpatient education and
counseling may include early intervention, outpatient care, and intensive
outpatient services. Marine Corps Order 5300.17 details the requirements
for SACCs: “The Marine Corps is required to identify, counsel, or treat
Marines identified as alcohol or drug abusers or alcohol or drug dependent”
(USMC, 2011b, p. 3-1). Individuals involved in a substance abuse incident
are referred to a SACC for assessment. At the SACC, qualified personnel
(generally certified substance abuse counselors), under the supervision of
the medical officer (either a physician or a psychologist), provide neces-
sary intervention and treatment services. The substance abuse counselor
conducts the initial biopsychosocial assessment using a standard form
contained in NAVMC 2931. The items on this form do not appear to
reflect standardized screening instruments for assessing alcohol and other
drug use. If the counselor determines that a Marine does not need formal
assessment for treatment placement by a licensed independent practitioner,
the Marine returns to duty or is assigned to the early intervention program
offered through the SACC (Impact, which is also used by the Navy and was
reviewed previously under Navy programs).
At the start of treatment, an individualized treatment plan is developed
and approved by the medical officer. This plan addresses seven dimen-
sions to determine the required level of care: potential for withdrawal,
biomedical complications, emotional/behavioral complications, readiness
to change, relapse potential, recovery/living environment, and operational
commitment. An interdisciplinary team reviews the assessment, treatment
plan, and treatment progress weekly and makes recommendations to the
medical officer. The SACC treatment modalities include a 12-step program,
motivational interviewing, group therapy, and other models depending on
the individual counselors providing treatment. The committee learned that
the treatment modalities provided at each SACC site vary, and there are
no standardized or required methods.7 The committee finds this lack of
standardization and endorsement of evidence-based treatment modalities
to be a weakness of the Marine Corps programs.
Marine Corps Order 5300.17 requires 1 year of aftercare for those who
have engaged in treatment. This aftercare is not provided through the SACC
but is delivered in the unit. It involves monitoring and documentation of
progress on the individual’s aftercare plan.
7 Personal communication, Erik Hollins, Marine and Family Programs Division, Decem-
ber 26, 2011.
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APPENDIX D 351
Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Program
Program
Clinical Evaluation/ Target
Purpose and Goals Focus Outcomes Population EBPs
•
The Marine Corps •
Prevention •
Number •
Active •
Prevention
Substance Abuse of positive Duty tools created
Prevention program samples specifically for
provides prevention •
Reserve the Marine
tools such as antidrug •
Number Corps based
videos and games, of multiple on research
substance abuse positives by the Naval
prevention tool Health
kits, Command •
Number of Research
Summits, and the prescription Center
Battalion Alcohol drug
Skill Intervention confirmed
Curriculum that positives
help commanders
prevent problems
that detract from
unit performance and
mission readiness.
• assist in the
To
commander’s
prevention efforts,
a Drug Demand
Reduction
Coordinator,
Substance Abuse
Control Officers,
and Alcohol Abuse
Prevention Specialists
are available to
provide support in the
following areas:
llegal drug use
I
prevention activities
Drug testing
Implementing
prevention
programs
Coordinating
treatment services
with the SACC
Conducting
aftercare
NOTE: EBP = evidence-based practice; SACC = Substance Abuse Counseling Center.
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352 SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
Activities with the goal of preventing substance use and abuse among
Marines generally are carried out in individual units and Commands. The
specific content of the education delivered through these activities varies
from site to site. One component of the Marine Corps Substance Abuse
Prevention and Intervention Program is the Battalion Alcohol Skills Inter-
vention Curriculum (BASIC), which is used across Marine Corps sites.
Following a train-the-trainer model, SACC staff train battalion unit train-
ers, who then train their senior leadership and unit commanders in how
to deliver the BASIC program within their units. The training focuses
on building skills and providing information on alcohol use, challenging
assumptions about the effects of alcohol, and reducing risk associated
with alcohol use based on a harm reduction rather than an abstention
approach. The program grew out of work done by contracted research-
ers from the University of Washington, San Diego State University, and
the University of California, San Diego, to study the problem and make
recommendations for possible interventions among Marines. The program
is based on the BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for Col-
lege Students) program, an evidence-based prevention program originally
developed by researchers from the University of Washington Addictive
Behaviors Research Center for college students with problem drinking
(Dimeff et al., 1999).
The original BASICS program is listed as an evidence-based prevention
program in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
(SAMHSA, 2012). The committee finds that the use of the BASIC program
in the Marine Corps shows promise for the implementation of an evidence-
based prevention program. However, the only evaluation of BASIC showed
that it did not have a significant overall effect on drinking behavior among
Marines (Hurtado, 2003). Additional research is needed to determine the
effectiveness of BASIC in the Marine Corps and perhaps identify modifica-
tions that would increase positive results.
The Impact program (described previously in the section on Navy pro-
grams) also falls under the umbrella of the Marine Corps Substance Abuse
Prevention and Intervention Program. This indicated prevention program
is delivered at the majority of SACC sites to those Marines identified as
being at risk for developing SUDs because of their risky use of alcohol or
other drugs. At the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton, Impact has
been modified to include the Marine Alcohol Awareness Course (MAAC),8
a 1-day (8-hour) group educational course designed to raise individuals’
awareness level when choosing to consume alcohol. Much like Impact,
the course highlights many of the negative consequences and peripheral
8 Personal communication, Erik Hollins, Marine and Family Programs Division, Decem-
ber 26, 2011.
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APPENDIX D 353
problems that can result from consuming alcohol. The course focuses pri-
marily on alcohol-related policies and consequences and how individuals
can establish proper measures and responsible behavior (i.e., safety, envi-
ronmental and situational awareness, and a solid plan) before deciding to
drink alcohol. The program is based on a risk reduction model of alcohol
use and designed for delivery to those individuals who have been involved
in alcohol-related incidents.
Additional Programs
The Marine Corps utilizes the FOCUS program, described previously
in the section on Navy programs. As a resiliency program, FOCUS places
primary clinical emphasis on prevention. It is implemented and repeated
over several developmental stages, including pre-, during, and postdeploy-
ment. FOCUS is considered to be a large-scale demonstration project that
has been expanded to 18 installations serving the Army, Air Force, Navy,
and Marine Corps (FOCUS Project, 2012). Based on resiliency theory
(Rutter, 1999) and multiple family and individual resiliency programs, it is
considered evidence-based.
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