Benefit Fact Sheet
Preventing self-harm among Airman and Guardians is a priority among Department of the Air Force (DAF) leadership. The purpose in the DAF integrated framework is to better equip Service members with the tools and resources necessary to effectively assist with help seeking behaviors.
Active Duty Service members, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve members, and their dependents who are eligible for treatment in the military health system are eligible for services.
Many Airmen and Guardians experience personal and professional challenges. More often than not, these challenges can be overcome and resolved long before they escalate into serious problems. These tools assist Leaders at all levels to identify challenges and prevent problems before they start.
Mental Health Clinic (MHC): The MHC resources can be accessed by contacting your local Military Treatment Facility (MTF).
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT): Mental Health Clinics have outpatient talk therapy opportunities, psychiatry medication management, and psychological testing. Additionally, substance use evaluations and treatment is also available through Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT).
Spectrum of Resilience: One of our greatest sources of strength to meet the unique challenges of military life comes from our connection with others across a Spectrum of Resilience. Ourselves, our family and friends, our peers and social networks, as well as support agencies and clinical/medical health professionals all influence and contribute to our personal resilience.
Director of Psychological Health (DPH): The DPH can provide short-term counseling with an Airman or Guardian, with couples or with Families.
Military and Family Life Counseling (MFLC): The MFLC Program supports Service members, their Families and survivors with non-medical counseling worldwide.
Military One Source: A Department of Defense program designed to help active duty, National Guard, and Reserve members and their Families cope with the rigors of military life. The program offers numerous resources including counseling, advice, and other free assistance to qualifying Service members and Families on a confidential basis.
Chaplain: The Chaplain provides confidential counseling and advises commanders on religious, spiritual and moral matters
Military Crisis Hotline: A confidential resource for all Service members experiencing a crisis, heightened emotions, or who just need someone to talk.
The phone number 988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) and is now active across the United States.
Veterans Administration (VA): The VA provides immediate crisis support and connection via phone or chat. Additional resources can be found via the National Resource Directory to include group counseling.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA offers a Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, a confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems.
Family Advocacy Program (FAP): The FAP provides a variety of services to Service members and Families to enhance their relationship skills and improve their quality of life.
Sexual violence or harassment related issue support can be accessed through your installation SAPR office.
The Department of the Air Force Suicide Prevention Program: The DAF Suicide Prevention Program is an integrated network of policy and education that focuses on reducing suicide through the early identification and treatment of those at risk. It uses leaders as role models and agents of change, establishes expectations for Airman behavior regarding awareness of suicide risk develops population skills and knowledge, and investigates every suicide.
Suicide Prevention Tools:
Many Airmen and Guardians experience personal and professional challenges. More often than not, these challenges can be overcome and resolved long before they escalate into serious problems. For more information about risk factors and warning signs for suicide and additional resources, visit www.resilience.af.mil.
You can help your Teammate more effectively if you know what is going on. Be willing to ask about possible thoughts of wanting to die by suicide. It will help you know what type of help they may need. Use the Ask, Care, and Escort Model (ACE) for discussing suicide.
Ask your Teammate directly about what is going on. This will help you determine what needs to be done next. Ask about issues early rather than waiting for things to escalate to the point of crisis. Take all comments about suicide seriously. Be an active listener and let your Teammate tell you about their challenges. Although it can be awkward, it is important to ask the tough questions about whether or not your Teammate is thinking about harming or killing themself. If the answer is yes, or if you even suspect that the answer is yes, do not leave that person alone.
Care for your Teammate by calmly listening and expressing concern. Don’t be judgmental or promise secrecy. If your Teammate is having thoughts of suicide, you need to act. Remove anything he could use to hurt himself and immediately seek help.
Escort your Teammate immediately to the nearest emergency room, Mental Health Clinic, chaplain, or primary care clinic, and contact the supervisor or chain of command. If a distressed Service member refuses help or you are not sure what to do, call your supervisor or 911 for help. Never leave a Teammate who is having thoughts of suicide alone, even to go to the bathroom.
Air Force Resilience:
https://www.resilience.af.mil/
Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 6490.16, Defense Suicide Prevention Program:
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/649016p.pdf
Department of the Air Force Instruction 90-5001, Integrated Resilience:
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi90-5001/dafi90-5001_dafgm2023-01.pdf
U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health, The U.S. Air Force Suicide Prevention Program: Implications for Public Health Policy:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2978162/