Foundational Concepts: Integrating Health Care and Military Culture

Course Summary

The purpose of this course is to provide a culturally sensitive overview of military culture and of lived experiences of Veterans. It will help you understand why learning about military culture is essential to provide culturally competent care and exemplify the APA's guidelines for Psychological Practice with Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families. This will foster the understanding of, and communication with, Veteran clients.

This course is currently offered for professional development only and does not provide APA CEUs.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Feel more confident when working with Veteran clients
2. Feel more confident in your awareness of the impact personal attitudes, biases, beliefs, and knowledge about military culture have on your work with Veterans
3. Recognize how military culture and experience may affect engagement in psychological services and the ability to benefit from services
4. Recognize the specific needs of Veterans of sub-populations
5. Identify Veterans' common stressors and how these stressors may affect assessment and treatment

Learning Audience

The learners for this training are behavioral health service providers, social workers, counselors, peer support specialists, and other professionals who support individuals with substance use and behavioral health conditions.

Course Duration

• 60 minutes

Content Contributors

• Kathryn Barrs, PsyD-University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology, Military Psychology Specialty
• Erica L. Adkins, Ph.D., ADPP, University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology, Military Psychology Specialty
• Matt Mishkind, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry-Adult Psychiatry