The overall goal of the Service Members, Veterans and Their Families (SMVF) Behavioral Health Initiative is to strengthen the statewide behavioral health care systems and services for SMVF through ongoing collaboration at the federal, state and local levels.
SMVF Priorities
- Increase access to appropriate and effective behavioral health services for the SMVF population.
- Maximize quality of services and efficiently allocate resources.
- Sustain a stable and healthy environment focused on awareness, employment and justice.
- Capture data to support decision-making.
Operation Immersion
Overview
Presented by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, and the Kentucky National Guard, Operation Immersion (OI) is:
- an immersive learning experience that expands the skills, knowledge, and military cultural competency of professionals who support Kentucky’s Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF).
The four-day training offers:
- a variety of classes led by experts in the field
- total trainings adding up to 30+ CEUs
- field training exercises
- a four day stay providing the experience of living on a military base, increasing military cultural competency
- networking with other professionals supporting SMVF
- lodging and meals for the four days
- equipment use
OI offers all the above, including 25+ CEUs, for the total cost of admission, rounding out to about $125 (a $1,475 value).
Operation Immersion gives participants the opportunity to experience firsthand what life is like on a military facility:
- A typical day at Operation Immersion begins with physical training (PT) that is designed to be accessible and adaptable for everyone. Participants can choose from three different levels of activity, with modifications available to meet individual needs and abilities.
- After morning PT, breakfast will be served in the Chow Hall, followed by structured trainings, interactive learning sessions, and military awareness trainings.
- Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in team building activities and learn through experiential education, including immersive military inspired operations-based scenarios, personal testimonials, and combat missions training exercises including paintball.
- This training is designed to promote engagement, increase collaboration, and foster a deeper understanding of military life.
- Some sessions are held outdoors with experiences comparable to a moderate hike in the woods. Uneven terrain, dirt, grass, insects, wildlife, and varying weather conditions may be encountered. Participants are encouraged to dress comfortably.
- Accommodations will be made as needed to ensure everyone can participate.
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Training Topics
Previous training topics covered by our expert trainers included:
- Military Cultural Awareness, Training as It Relates to Behavioral Health
- Insomnia and Suicide Risk
- Combat Stress and the Impact of Deployment Cycles
- Suicide Prevention: Lived Experience
- Military Chaplaincy
- An Introduction to Conceptualizing Moral Injury
- Soldier Experiences in Today's National Guard
Event Learning Objectives
Operation Immersion is an opportunity for individuals to:
- Expand skillsets to build capacity to provide quality care and support to the SMVF population.
- Promote integrated care and support systems by connecting behavioral health providers and professionals with military and veterans' resources.
- Gain a better understanding of the underlying causal factors (multiple deployments, Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, and suicidal ideation) which put the SMVF population at risk for substance misuse, suicide, and behavioral health disorders.
Target Audience
Operation Immersion is geared towards anyone that serves the SMVF population:
- community mental health and substance use disorder treatment agencies
- social workers
- professional counselors
- prevention professionals
- nurses
- psychiatrists
- physicians
- psychologists
- clergy/pastoral
- judicial/corrections
- college students
- Department of Veterans Affairs staff
Space is limited to 100 participants. Priority Registration will be given to first-time attendees and those that serve Kentucky’s Service Members, Veterans and their Families.
Contact Hours and Continuing Education Units
Participants receive a total of 25 or more Contact Hours/Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the following boards: Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Long-Term Care Administrators, Nursing, Pastoral Counselors, Professional Art Therapists, Psychology, Social Work, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.
Specific information on training sessions topics and professional licensure board approval for continuing education is included in the agenda.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to attend OI, you must:
- be at least 18 years old.
- be currently, or plan to be in the near future (within 12 months), serving the SMVF population in Kentucky.
- complete a pre-event and post-event evaluation for approval of continuing education credits
- understand that your photograph, electronic video image, or likeness may be utilized for future publicity and training opportunities by CHFS, DBHDID, and Kentucky National Guard
- be willing to share your professional contact information, including name, title, organization, email, and contact number with Operation Immersion participants, staff, presenters, and the Kentucky National Guard
What are participants saying about their experiences at Operation Immersion?
"I can honestly say that this was the single most valuable learning experience that I have ever encountered. The amount of learning and growth achieved during the four days is difficult to fully measure, as it is vast and deep."
–Susan M. Scully-Hill, Ph.D
"OI is not just beneficial to us and our soldiers, but also to any veterans who receive services from providers who go through our program."
–Brigadier General Charles Jones (Ret.), Kentucky National Guard
Registration Information
Once registration reaches capacity, a selection process and waiting list will be established to fill any open slots that may become available.
Please note (regarding background check): Per military regulations, we must collect confidential personal information in order for you to gain security clearance and access onto the military installation.
This information is for Operation Immersion vetting purposes only. Your information will remain confidential and will only be shared with the registration team and the military security vetting office.
Operation Immersion leadership will contact you directly if additional security clarification is needed regarding your access to the installation.
*Please DO NOT contact the Kentucky National Guard or the training site directly.
If you have general questions, questions regarding registration, or you did not receive registration confirmation within 72 hours, please contact us at: operationimmersion@ky.gov
Operation Headed Home (OHH)
OHH received the National Balderson Public Health Leadership Award.
Representatives from federal, military, state and professional organizations across Kentucky unite to host the annual Operation Headed Home (OHH) Conference.
This statewide conference addresses the needs of Service Members, Veterans and Their Families (SMVF), caregivers, and behavioral and medical health professionals, with information, resources, and support regarding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide prevention.
"I attended the Operation Headed Home Conference at Fort Campbell. I just wanted to let you know how proud I was to see such a 'Top Drawer' program offered by my colleagues." — Participant
"It was challenging. It was emotional. I was tired. And yet, it did not even begin to approximate what our soldiers and military personnel experience. As the second day unfolded, I was enthralled and motivated to learn and grow as much as I possibly could…By the end of the program, I felt deeply connected to the other participants and the staff and did not want the experience to end."
–2017 Participant