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Online resource can help deal with life's challenges

  • Published
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFPN) --  A new online educational resource offers Tricare beneficiaries a secure, safe environment to seek information, educational materials and self-assessment tools on behavioral health, addiction and recovery, life events and daily living skills.

"AchieveSolutions" can be accessed through the behavioral health link in the beneficiary resources area of the Humana Military Healthcare Services' Web site at www.humana-military.com.

HMHS is the managed care contractor for the TRICARE south region.

"It is critical we recognize that our servicemembers and families face enormous stress, and that stress can affect physical as well as mental health," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, the Tricare Management Activity deputy director. "We support all efforts to reach out and offer help and advice on dealing with life's challenges."

The Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health report recently referenced a DOD survey of health-related behaviors among military personnel indicating 74 percent of active duty members cope with stress by talking with a friend or family member. Those individuals play a key role in influencing servicemembers to seek help. As such, family members, as well as servicemembers, need to be equipped with coping skills, the ability to recognize distress, and the knowledge of how and where to get assistance.

The new AchieveSolutions site offers education and skill-building opportunities.

AchieveSolutions was developed by ValueOptions for the Behavioral Health, Employee Assistance Program and Work/Life ValueOptions, the south region subcontractor for mental health.

AchieveSolutions builds off of ValueOptions' expertise in human behavior, and the importance of prevention, to provide quality information and education. Since the tools are on the Web, the information is available to all Tricare beneficiaries at the touch of a fingertip.

Resources provided on the Web site, which are offered in both English and Spanish, include access to self-referral tools, behavioral health program information, interactive self-assessment applications with solutions, health risk assessment tools and benefit information.

AchieveSolutions contains more than 6,000 articles covering more than 200 topical areas including information on advocacy, emotional well-being, family concerns, dealing with illness, loss and grief, alcoholism and substance abuse. The content of the site is continually updated to reflect new research, articles and material.

The information is clinically credible, current and consistent with ValueOptions' focus on quality, said Dave Baker, the HMHS president and chief executive officer. To ensure user privacy, the Web site is a VeriSign secure site, which means that all traffic to and from the server is secured by encryption. Visitors can be assured that their Web history will remain private.

"This new tool offers our beneficiaries the privacy needed to research a potential health concern without fear of repercussion," Mr. Baker said.

"ValueOptions is proud to manage the mental health benefit for TRICARE beneficiaries, including active duty (servicemembers) and their families," said Barbara Hill, the CEO of ValueOptions, Inc. "ValueOptions' AchieveSolutions tool serves as an accessible vehicle to provide much needed behavioral health support and education. AchieveSolutions is an effective use of technology that allows us to reach out to the service community in an entirely new way."