DoD Policy Guidance

• Military Standards
  • DoDI 6130.03 Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services
    Establishes medical standards, which, if not met, are grounds for rejection for military service, to include depression
  • DoDI 6490.07 Deployment-Limiting Medical Conditions for Service Members and DoD Civilian Employees
    Establishes policy to ensure that service members and DoD civilian employees deployed and deploying on contingency deployments are medically able to accomplish their duties in deployed environments; and includes specific information on mental health disorders and treatment
• Screening
  • DoDI 6490.15 Integration of Behavioral Health Personnel Services into Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Primary Care and Other Primary Care Service Settings
    Details that screening for major depressive disorder will use evidence-based screening instruments and when screening is mandated - annually, for all new patients, and in patients at higher risk for depression based on medical illness
  • Military Treatment Facility Mental Health Clinical Outcomes Guidance
    Provides guidance for measurement and documentation of clinical outcomes, to include use of the Patient Health Questionnaire to screen for depression
• Service-specific Guidance
  • Airmen’s Guide to Assisting Personnel in Distress
    A "tool box" to help airmen know and identify the common indicators of distress, as well as recommended actions to address
  • Navy Leader’s Guide to Managing Sailors in Distress
    A site to help leaders recognize distress related behaviors, provide support to sailors within the unit, and collaborate with Navy helping agencies to meet the needs of distressed individuals; includes a specific page related to depression
  • OPNAVINST 3591.1F Small Arms Training and Qualification
    Navy policy that notes that weapons and/or ammunition shall not be issued to any individual with a psychiatric diagnosis for which medication is necessary, unless recommended for a waiver. It does reflect that psychiatric conditions requiring medications with a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that are determined to be stable shall normally be recommended for a waiver