The Connecticut Military Support Program (MSP)
1-866-251-2913
The Military Support Program (MSP) was established by the Connecticut General Assembly (Section 17a-453d) to address the behavioral health needs of National Guard and Reserve personnel affected by deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF-Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF-Iraq). In April 2012, in a press release issued by LT. Governor Nancy Wyman, the administration of Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced the expansion of program eligibility to include veterans of active duty service and their families . As the State Mental Health Authority in
Since 2007, MSP has provided an array of behavioral health services to Connecticut’s veterans, citizen soldiers and their family members. MSP services are accessed through a toll-free Call Center.
In March 2009, the MSP Embedded Clinician Program was established in partnership with Connecticut’s Adjutant General, Major General Thaddeus Martin. Today, twenty-nine MSP clinicians serve as Behavioral Health Advocates within Guard Units affected by deployment(s) in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. These embedded clinicians provide deployment health education to service members and their families and serve as key points of contact for behavioral health services.
Connecticut is unique in that no other state in the country has established a program that embeds civilian clinicians within National Guard Unit’s at the Company level.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED BY MSP
MSP SERVICES ARE: LOCALLY AVAILABLE * CONFIDENTIAL
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OUTREACH within the National Guard and Reserve Communities
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TOLL-FREE LINE: 866-251-2913
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EMBEDDED CLINICIAN PROGRAM where MSP clinicians, serving as Behavioral Health Advocates, lead Service Members and families in open, honest discussion about deployment health issues.
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OUTPATIENT COUNSELING SERVICES, REFERRAL TO confidential, locally available to OEF/OIF Veterans, National Guard/Reserve personnel and their families
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COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES to assure timely access to appropriate services
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INFORMATION, REFERRAL AND ADVOCACY to secure the right benefits, right away
TOLL-FREE LINE
MSP outpatient counseling referral services are accessed through a call center that is managed by Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc., an administrative service organization contracted by DMHAS. Following a brief intake and initial assessment, callers to the Center are provided the names and contact information for clinicians in their area from which they may choose. An ABH Community Clinician is notified of every call made to the Center and follows up with each caller to support their connection to outpatient counseling.
If a call is of an emergent nature, the ABH Community Clinician is immediately notified to assist in the evaluation and determination of appropriate response. MSP Community Clinicians continue to provide intensive case management support, especially during the period of a caller’s first few outpatient visits. Veterans and service members determined to have complex or long-term care needs are assisted in connecting with the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
1-866-251-2913
The embedded MSP clinicians are known as Behavioral Health Advocates (BHA). They are a familiar presence during their Unit’s drill weekends where they provide individual and group deployment health education activities, and serve as the key point of contact for behavioral health services.
Unit members may receive confidential support directly from their Behavioral Health Advocate, or assistance from their BHA in accessing services through the MSP panel, the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, or the Vet Center system depending upon their needs.
Embedded MSP clinicians participate in drill weekends until their Unit is deployed. Following deployment, focus is shifted toward serving the family members of the deployed Unit. At that point, instead of participating in drill weekends embedded clinicians serve as Behavioral Health Advocates during Family Readiness Group activities.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF MSP SERVICES MSP outpatient counseling services are absolutely confidential. The personal health information of all veterans and current National Guard or Reserve Service Members is protected. No information is released without a person's written consent. |
MSP outpatient counseling services are accessed by calling the MSP Call Center at 866-251-2913 or the Community Clinician at 860-480-1463. DMHAS contracted with Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc., an administrative services organization, to provide staffing for the Call Center and outpatient referral service.
Such intensive case management services enable each MSP participant to receive timely support through their recovery process, as well as appropriate interventions during moments of crisis. MSP’s focused outreach to Guard and Reserve units, along with the ongoing provision of deployment health education to soldiers and family members throughout Connecticut, has resulted in hundreds of OEF/OIF veterans being successfully connected to VA clinical services. These are soldiers/veterans who engaged MSP for outpatient clinical Services, but with the assistance of MSP clinicians, have determined that their clinical needs will be better served within the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
Veterans referred to VA typically present with complex care needs beyond the scope of the MSP program. With the veteran’s consent, the MSP Community Clinician will:
- Contact appropriate VA clinical personnel to alert them of the referral
- Arrange an appointment for a mental health screening
- Assist a veteran in accessing emergency care at the VA Psychiatric Emergency Room (or local ER) when emergency care is required
- Provide follow-up case management support to assure each veteran’s safe connection to treatment services with VA.
Referral for advocacy support is routinely made to national veterans service organizations (NSO’s) and to the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Advocacy and Assistance for advocacy representation in VA claims matters. MSP also refers participants to local attorneys willing to provide pro bono assistance, and to court personnel, including DMHAS Jail Diversion staff when necessary.
Connecticut Military Support Program It is important for you to know that your involvement with the Military Support Program (MSP) is strictly confidential. Under no circumstance will an MSP staff member release any information to anyone relating to your involvement with the program.
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