By Airman 1st Class Jack Gardner, 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs / Published May 20, 2021
88th Medical Group Airmen gather May 18, 2021, at the Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Medical Center to welcome home friends and coworkers returning from atwo-month deployment to Detroit . The returning Airmen helped administer more than 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccineto Michigan residents. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez)
U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 88th MedicalGroup arrive home at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, May 18, 2021, following a two-month long deployment to Detroit. The Airmen helped administer more than 200,000doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Michigan residents. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez)
Starting July 31, 2017, Airmen undergoing their annual Periodic Health Assessment may notice something new.
A Mental Health Assessment will now be part of every annual PHA, to help ensure that Airmen suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues are referred to the necessary care.
Mental health issues are a serious problem for U.S. Armed Forces and for the Air Force. These illnesses are often not visible to others, making them difficult to diagnose and leading to unnecessary suffering. By implementing yearly screening, more Airmen in the early stages of mental illness will be identified and referred for treatment, helping them heal and improving overall medical readiness.