By Matthew Lowery, LCSW
May 18, 2020

Photo by Cpl. Damany S. Coleman

inTransition has been serving America's service members and veterans for more than 10 years. It's a free, voluntary, and confidential program that assists ANY service member or veteran in obtaining psychological health care, usually when they are transitioning between health care systems.

Because inTransition is available to all who are serving or who have served, regardless of discharge status or time since service, it is an especially valuable resource for those who are being released from incarceration and who need to continue or establish mental health care. It is important to note that inTransition will connect individuals to local care, regardless of their VA eligibility, insurance status, and ability to pay for care. While individuals are waiting for a care provider to be located and that care to be established, they are assigned a coach who meets with them regularly over the phone, increasing the chances that they will successfully transfer into care.

In addition, inTransition coaches are equipped with a vast, evolving database of local resources in areas such as finance, housing, disability assistance, and vocational rehabilitation. These supports and services are valuable for service members being discharged from a military brig or correctional facility, as they can help service members get connected to other resources they need to get back on their feet, mitigate the impact of other stressors on existing mental health concerns, and thereby increase the chances of a successful reintegration into society.

There are now designated inTransition points of contact (POCs) at 11 major brigs and correctional facilities worldwide who are trained in the inTransition program and who actively refer interested individuals to the program. While referrals to the program can be made by anyone, including self-referrals, transitions work best when a service member or veteran has a warm hand off from a provider to the program. If you are a medical or mental health provider or an administrator in a correctional facility, and you would like to establish formal contact with the program, send us an email. If you would like to refer an incarcerated service member to the inTransition program, call 800-424-7877.

Mr. Lowery is a licensed clinical social worker and outreach communications consultant for inTransition and the Psychological Health Resource Center at the Psychological Health Center of Excellence.