Occupational psychiatry services in a military setting

Occupational psychiatry services have become increasingly important since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the recent growth of workers' compensation mental health claims. Delivery of such services within the military is complicated by interagency financial relationships, recent implementation of a comprehensive managed care program, and military regulations governing medical services. In this article, we describe the provision of occupational psychiatry services in a large military medical system and present the results of a feasibility study of establishing a regular clinic to improve them. The results of the study highlighted the importance of having occupational psychiatry services available within the medical center, although it did not establish the necessity of a specific clinic to provide these services. Case material is presented that illustrates our approach and the range of services encompassed.