Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell discusses leads the Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee meeting on Dec. 18, 2024 in Montgomery. A study by the Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee highlights significant challenges Alabama veterans face in accessing mental health and substance abuse counseling, especially in rural areas. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)
Veterans in Alabama have significant difficulties accessing mental health and substance abuse counseling, according to a study presented Wednesday at the state’s Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee.
The findings in the study, led by David Albright, a University of Alabama professor of political science, in partnership with the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH), underscored the need for targeted improvements, particularly in rural areas.
“Behind every statistic is a person, a neighbor, colleague (or) family member navigating complex challenges that might include the pull of mental health struggles, the grip of substance misuse or the loneliness of rural isolation,” Albright said.
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The study found elevated rates of mental illness and substance abuse disorders among veterans compared to non-veterans, with 3.5% of veterans having a serious mental illness compared to 3.2% of nonveterans and .8 of veterans having co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder, compared to .4% of the nonveteran population.
The report also found that for veterans in rural areas, limited resources and greater distance to care create additional barriers to access. Veteran-specific services remain unevenly distributed, with rural areas facing acute shortages. Opioid misuse rates among Alabama veterans (33.7%) are also significantly higher than national averages (3.1%), with disparities particularly pronounced in rural counties and among young white women.
The report also shows Alabama veterans have lower rates of suicide ideation, though it may also indicate a lack of veterans seeking out mental health services.
Alabama Power, represented by R.B. Walker, the utility’s director of state and federal government affairs, proposed a “Service Member Welcome and Transition Center” to adopt a “jobs first” strategy, combining career placement with community and mental health support. Walker touted the idea as a public-private partnership meant to address resource gaps.
Kimberly Boswell, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health, agreed with the initiative, saying that ensuring veterans have a sense of purpose can save lives and that “a job is the best medicine.”
“From a prevention standpoint, if we can reach individuals as they’re transitioning and have that sense of purpose and connectedness, that can save a lot of lives. We believe that actually can save lives,” Boswell said.
The committee plans to reconvene in January to review the report in detail and discuss next steps, including the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) to address the identified gaps.
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