Results of the Behavioral Health Readiness Evaluation and Decision-Making Instrument Study

Area of Science:

• Military health
• Behavioral health systems
• Readiness assessment

Background:

• Behavioral health (BH) system and provider challenges impact Army readiness and safety.
• Improving decision-making support for BH providers is crucial for readiness.
• The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) developed the B-REDI to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test the effectiveness of the B-REDI tool in improving BH provider readiness decision-making.
• To evaluate provider satisfaction and proficiency outcomes following B-REDI implementation.

Main Methods:

• A field study involving BH providers across five U.S. Army Forces Command installations.
• Randomized clinic assignments for B-REDI tool/training dissemination to 307 providers.
• Surveys collected from 149 providers at baseline and 3-month follow-up, with statistical analyses including McNemar's tests, Z-tests, and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements in provider knowledge/awareness (16.5%-22.9%), personal confidence (11.1%-15.8%), and decision-making/documentation (6.2%-15.1%).
• High end-user satisfaction ratings (79%-97% positive) across multiple measures.
• Most knowledge subcategories maintained statistically significant improvements at 3 months.

Conclusions:

• The B-REDI effectively addresses Army BH readiness challenges by providing decision-making support.
• High provider satisfaction and significant proficiency gains demonstrate B-REDI's success.
• Formalizing and integrating B-REDI into Army BH practice could reduce risks and improve readiness determinations.