Best Practices for Addressing Combat Operational Stress and Other Behavioral Health Conditions in Marine Corps Substance Abuse Counseling Centers

The Naval Health Research Center was tasked by Headquarters Marine Corps with assessing the process by which the Marine Corps Substance Abuse Counseling Centers (SACCs) address clients with stress concerns and behavioral health conditions stemming from deployment, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat operational stress. The following report details findings from the scientific literature and SACC site assessments, and provides specific recommendations. It documents the current treatment approach with regard to substance abuse clients with co-occurring mental health concerns at selected Marine Corps SACCs; and it reviews and recommends best practices for screening, referrals, treatment, patient education, and case management. The overall purpose is to provide recommendations that will lead to optimal treatment of SACC clients suffering from PTSD and other military-related behavioral health conditions.