Military Health System
2009-04-26

Anonymous, free alcohol assessment and education available year-round by phone or online

As part of Alcohol Awareness Month, and in observance of April 9, National Alcohol Screening Day, the Department of Defense is offering free, anonymous assessment tools online in an effort to educate service members and their families on the symptoms and signs of alcohol abuse. These tools, available at www.DrinkingIQ.org, are designed to educate military personnel about the potential risks associated with alcohol use and help them make informed decisions about their drinking behaviors. The online tools are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Every year, millions of Americans – one in every 13 adults – suffer from alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. Millions more drink at times or in ways that can place themselves or others at risk.

“Providing service members and their families with information and resources empowers them to learn the potential risks associated with drinking and determine if they or a loved one may need to seek appropriate support,” said Col. Joyce Adkins, Ph.D, MPH, Department of Defense, Office of Health Affairs. “Research indicates that brief interventions for drinking problems can be an effective treatment for some alcohol use disorders without the need for further clinical intervention.”

The assessment and education tools are offered through the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program® (MHSAP), a voluntary, anonymous mental health and alcohol self-assessment and referral program offered to military families and service members. In an effort to raise awareness of responsible drinking, MHSAP has distributed promotional materials including posters and sports water bottles to military installation fitness centers and alcohol programs worldwide.

Background:

The Mental Health Self-Assessment Program (MHSAP) gives service personnel and their families the opportunity to learn more about mental health and alcohol use through anonymous self-assessments offered online, via the phone, and through special events held at installations. The program is designed to help individuals identify their own symptoms and access assistance before a problem becomes serious. 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 through the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. MHSAP is a program of the non-profit Screening for Mental Health® and is fully funded by Force Health Protection and Readiness, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Health Affairs.

America's Military Health System (MHS) is a unique partnership of medical educators, medical researchers, and healthcare providers and their support personnel worldwide. This DoD enterprise consists of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; the medical departments of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Combatant Command surgeons; and TRICARE providers (including private sector healthcare providers, hospitals and pharmacies).

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