Military chaplains and mental health clinicians: Overlapping roles and collaborative opportunities.

Abstract

Military chaplains and mental health clinicians have unique professional roles and functions within the Department of Defense. However, they also have intersecting roles in delivering care to service members with mental health issues. Although diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders is the primary focus of mental health clinicians, military chaplains are often the first contact made by service members seeking help for mental health concerns, due in part to issues of greater accessibility, ensured confidentiality, and less stigma. There is growing recognition of the importance of spirituality in the well-being and readiness of service members, as many mental health issues have a spiritual dimension. As a result, chaplains and mental health clinicians often address many of the same issues, albeit with different approaches. This review examines overlap in the work of chaplains and mental health clinicians and contrasts their complementary treatment approaches. These overlapping issues and complementary approaches highlight the potential for greater collaboration between these two professional groups, which could be beneficial for the care of service members. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).