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NHCP Opens New Deployment, Behavioral Health Center

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100318-14
Release Date: 3/18/2010 7:51:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael R. McCormick, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton Public Affairs

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP) staff and guests celebrated the opening of a new Deployment and Behavioral Health Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony March 12 at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The new facility was created to meet the expanding needs for pre- and post-deployment health assessments and behavioral health care at Camp Pendleton.

The two-building, 39,368-square-foot facility consolidates the location of the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program (SARP), the Deployment Health Center (DHC) and the Mental Health Center into one facility. The new center has 123 offices, seven group rooms, five classrooms, one large multipurpose room and a tranquility garden.

The facility is located in buildings H-200T and H-201T near the Wounded Warrior Campus.

"Honestly, we did not have enough rooms for all the providers that we've hired," said Cmdr. Catherine Bayne, the department head at DHC. "Now we have a beautiful, new facility with all of our behavioral health services in one place. Patients needing referral to any of these places can literally be walked to the office."

Recently, DHC staff started administering neurocognitive testing for all Marines and Sailors prior to deployment. The current tool used is the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM). This new screening is accomplished by DHC in conjunction with their other missions of post deployment health assessments and providing mental health treatment for military members experiencing combat operational stress or post traumatic stress.
ANAM is a computer-based tool used to collect baseline information that can be used if a service member has an injury that may affect the speed and accuracy of their attention, memory and thinking ability.

"Now, we can do screenings and assessments in our two new computer labs, as well as continue to go to the units," said Bayne.

While delivering opening remarks at the ceremony, Capt. Paul Pearigen, NHCP's commanding officer, stated the importance of leadership in supporting service members seeking help.

"This is a special moment in time where warfighters and senior leaders are more open than they have ever been to seeking and supporting help, and we have to take advantage of that," said Pearigen.

The new facility allows for expansion of the Intensive Outpatient Program for SARP and the Mental Health Center. This six-week program provides the intensive treatments of an in-residence program but allows patients to go home every day.

In addition to treating the individual, SARP has a family counselor on staff to educate families.

Also, as part of the center, there are plans to offer holistic health care as complementary alternative therapy to help reduce anxiety. Currently, volunteers are providing healing touch and a proposal has been submitted to have other forms of holistic health care such as acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga and Tai-chi added.