Executive Order -- Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Mil...

1. Executive orders recognize mental health needs for career to
life balance - Washington DC government business
Executive Order -- Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and
Military Families, signed on 31 August 2012 by President Barack Obama states:
AP
Since September 11, 2001, more than two million service members have deployed to Iraq or
Afghanistan. Long deployments and intense combat conditions require optimal support for the
emotional and mental health needs of our service members and their families. The need for mental
health services will only increase in the coming years as the Nation deals with the effects of more
than a decade of conflict. Reiterating and expanding upon the commitment outlined in my
Administration's 2011 report, entitled "Strengthening Our Military Families," we have an obligation
to evaluate our progress and continue to build an integrated network of support capable of providing
effective mental health services for veterans, service members, and their families.
Beyond the need for veterans, service members and the military family members - mental health
acknowledgement among businesses has an even broader appeal. In April of 2002 - Executive Order
13263: President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, was signed by former President
George W. Bush. This order identified the "need" for mental health awarenesses and instantiated a
fifteen member committee (comprised of designates from the Secretary of Health and Human
Services and Secretaries of the Departments of Labor, Education and Veterans Affairs, in addition to
providers, payers, administrators and consumers of mental health services as well as family
members of consumers). The committee was instructed to conduct comprehensive studies regarding
national mental health service delivery systems, including public and private sector providers in

2. order to advise the Presidency on essential methodologies for improving mental health systems
within the United States of America. The goal was to improve life, work, learning and full community
participation of individuals working through mental health concerns, while maximizing levels of
employment, self-care, interpersonal relationships and community participation.
Both Executive Orders represent an overarching concern at a presidential level for health and
welfare advancement of United States citizens in regard to mental health and their life and career
productivity. In 2009, the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (formerly the Office of
Applied Studies), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) noted the
following in an annual report:
44480
An estimated 44.5 million adults aged 18 or older had AMI and 10.4 million had SMI in the past
year, representing 19.7 percent any mental illness (AMI) and 4.6 percent serious mental illness
(SMI) of the adult population. Approximately 14.5 million adults (6.5 percent) had a major
depressive episode (MDE) within the past year. Nearly 52.9 million (23.6 percent) adults had lifetime
high blood pressure, 24.1 million (10.7 percent) had lifetime asthma and 18.7 million (8.4 percent)
had lifetime diabetes. An estimated 13.3 million (5.9 percent) adults had ever had heart disease, and
3.2 million (1.4 percent) had ever had a stroke. In the past year, 62.0 million adults used an ER (27.8
percent), and 24.6 million adults were hospitalized (10.9 percent).
Executive Orders Recognize a Need for Mental Health Recognition for Career Advancement
Whole life and career balance demands can seem insurmountable to Americans. The aforementioned
statistics purport this to be true. How these exigencies are navigated in the course of daily life plays
a significant role in occupational and personal mental health. Not long ago, mental health concerns
were taboo, especially in employment. Our President has taken a stand in support of mental health
needs of America's military and addressed mental health concerns for private enterprise through
acts such as the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
So, what effect do Executive Orders have on mental health in relation to the careers and livelihoods
of America's citizenry? Initially, the most affirmative effect Executive Orders have is promotion of
"national acceptance." A Presidential notation regarding mental health and a national concern for
remediation of it, is significant. The acceptance by employers and insurers is tantamount to work-related
behavioral awareness and pre-planning for whole life and career balance.
Acceptance may ease present day realities, where the United States is at an all-time high for suicide,
which out-ranks homicide and AIDs related deaths and is considered a national health epidemic.
Executive Orders aid United States citizens, and our neighbors abroad, to realize as a local, national
and global community "nearly everyone we come into contact either are experiencing, or have
experienced, stress and/or complications, which result in mental health anomalies and/or potential
suicidal behavior." This means co-workers, employees and supervisors or their family members.
But why worry about mental health in business?
The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates untreated mental illnesses costs the United States
more than $100 billion per year. This means businesses. 74 million Americans (more than one in four
adults) suffer from diagnosable mental disorders. Currently, one in four adults experience mental
illness at some point during their lifetime and one in six experience symptoms at any one time,
which makes mental illness the largest single cause of disability in the American culture. And,

3. diagnosable mental disorders do affect the bottom-line in more ways than one.
55616
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
The NIOSH identified work related stress, which often lead to mental health issues:
Concerns: lack of opportunity for advancement, growth or promotion; rapid unwarranted or
unadvised changes in policy, workflow, conditions and/or location cause poor health.
Environmental Conditions: dangerous physical conditions result in poor emotional health for
personnel and result in stress and/or mental health concerns.
Heavy Workload: infrequent rest breaks, long work hours and shiftwork; hectic and routine tasks
with little inherent meaning where skills are underutilized and a little sense of control is available
result in higher stress.
Interpersonal Relationships: poor social interaction, lack of support, lessened coworker and/or
supervisor interaction promotes poor health in human capital interests.
Management: disregard for worker interaction in decision-making, poor communication and lack of
family-friendly policies result in stress induction and mental health issues.
Work Roles: uncertain job requirements, too much responsibility or wearing too many "hats" is a
stress precursor.
Thankfully, our nation promotes quality of life and health as a national initiative. Taking into
consideration one in four of our neighbors, co-workers, friends, acquaintances, and etc. are
undergoing or have undergone mental health concerns may aid each of us to continuously work to
achieve life and career balance a priority for ourselves and those we come into contact with in 2012
and beyond.
______________________________________
GBE (Government Business Examiner) welcomes subscribers and sponsors, just click the buttons at
the opening of this story. Additionally, if you have comments, suggestions, or ideas take a moment to
email Ms. Donna L. Quesinberry at gbe@donnaink.com.
Join the Government Business Examiner on FaceBook and Twitter.
Suggested by the author: