Training Mental Health Support Staff to Better Help Service Members

This study is testing whether a new training program called the Evidence-Based Toolkit for Integrated Operational Support helps military mental health technicians provide better care to service members. The research compares service members who work with trained technicians versus those who work with technicians using standard practices, to see if the new training improves both the technicians' skills and the service members' mental health and well-being.

While mental health counselors embedded in military units help reduce stigma and improve access to care, they often receive inconsistent training and lack structured tools for helping service members with stress, sleep problems, trauma, and suicide prevention. This study aims to fill that gap by testing whether better, standardized training makes these technicians more effective.