A Qualitative Study of Military Connected parents’ Perceptions on Establishing and Maintaining Child Behavioral Health Services

Few studies have examined U.S. military parents’ perspectives in establishing, maintaining, and reestablishing child behavioral health services within the context of military life. This qualitative study focused on the experiences of military-connected parents raising children who were receiving non-psychiatric outpatient behavioral health services for a range of behavioral or emotional challenges. The purposes of the qualitative study were to understand parents’ perspectives on the unique challenges military families face while seeking treatment and to understand facilitators or barriers to treatment. Twenty-two parents across the branches of the U.S. military participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Primary themes identified were difficulties reestablishing social and healthcare support networks when moving. When accessing behavioral health services, stigma, difficulty obtaining referrals, and family logistics were noted barriers. Facilitators included parental advocacy on behalf of their child and primary care providers providing quick referrals to specialized behavioral health services.