Health Innovation Month: Defense Health Agency Highlights Anonymous Online Assessments, Apps, Podcasts

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., July 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Defense Health Agency's Connected Health Branch is pioneering enhanced care for the military community by using social media to deliver anonymous, free, quick self-assessments that identify a user's symptoms of various mental health conditions and recommend innovative resources, such as mobile applications and podcasts, to help them address the challenges of military life.

Although only health care providers can deliver a diagnosis, the self-assessments provide recommended resources that adjust to users, based on their responses, ensuring they receive effective resources. The anonymous self-assessments are easily accessible on Connected Health's AfterDeployment Facebook page or by visiting https://www.health.mil/assessments.

"We know our military community members are online, using mobile apps and listening to podcasts, so Connected Health is meeting them where they are," said Kelly Blasko, a counseling psychologist with DHA Connected Health. "We also know they might not raise their hand if they are experiencing issues, so these anonymous assessments allow them to share what they are experiencing and recognize if they could use some help."

Many Department of Defense beneficiaries already took advantage of this opportunity.

"Thousands of people have taken the assessments and, we hope, have started on their journey of regaining and sustaining their well-being," Blasko added.

In addition to the self-assessments, DHA Connected Health is using technology to better serve the military community through mobile applications, including:

• Breathe2Relax: Teaches users how to do deep breathing exercises to help in stressful situations.
• Dream EZ: Helps those who have experienced traumatic events cope with nightmares, offering ways to make them less frequent and less intense.
• Virtual Hope Box: Provides a place for individuals to collect all kinds of things that inspire and remind them of positive memories, such as family photos, videos, soothing music and more.
• T2 Mood Tracker: Tracks how someone is feeling and allows them to manage emotional issues, such as anxiety, stress, depression and post-traumatic stress. Users can track their data and observe how their mood changes over time.

Along with the suite of assessments and mobile apps, DHA Connected Health offers podcasts with information on tools, techniques and trends in military health care. The podcasts include A Better Night's Sleep, Military Meditation Coach and Next Generation Behavioral Health.

"During Health Innovation Month, encourage a service member or veteran to take an assessment, download an app or listen to a podcast. All of these DHA resources are geared to help them with various challenges," said Blasko. "By delivering support through technology, we are improving the lives of our military community."

Visit the DHA Connected Health website to learn more, and follow DHA Connected Health on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Defense Health Agency's Connected Health Branch