DVIDS – News – Mental Health Awareness

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD (Jan. 25, 2023) – Members of Naval Support Activity Washington (NSAW) Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) spoke about mental health, support services and of leadership during an awareness brief at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Headquarters Chief’s Mess Jan. 25. The event, part of the regular Chiefs’ How’s Mess meetings, provided Deck Plate Chiefs with an extensive toolkit to support the mental health and well-being of their sailors… questions that not only affect individuals, but also the mission readiness of the Navy itself.

In support of this goal, FFSC leaders have announced that beginning February 1, they will be offering in-person outreach and support on the first Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Humphrey’s Café. While the Center’s primary focus is on service members and their families, the team will welcome inquiries from civilian employees about resources—primarily the Department of the Navy Employee Assistance Program (DONCEAP)—available to them. also.

Most sailors and their family members are at least somewhat familiar with the FFSC, but the breadth and variety of services provided there – counseling, advocacy, military spouse employment, exceptional support from family members and much more – can make it difficult to know exactly what type of support or program to inquire about.

Brittany Bordonaro, FFSC director, and Andrew Freed, work and family life supervisor, offered chiefs a simple answer: When in doubt, call the FFSC main line at (202) 685-0229 and staff guide and refer clients as needed.

“Perhaps you as a leader need someone to talk to, or perhaps one of your sailors has come to you with their issues and you need some advice,” he said. Bordonaro said. “The best advice is to give us a call.”

But perhaps the most daunting and essential task of all for potential customers is deciding whether to ask for help in the first place. The Navy’s “can do” culture – a positive quality among sailors and employees – can be a hindrance if individuals confuse it with an unspoken taboo that equates seeking help with weakness. Indeed, asking for support and using the tools provided by the FFSC is a sign of strength, honesty and good leadership. Encouraging others to do the same demonstrates compassion and supports Navy readiness; nothing is won if sailors and employees suffer in silence.

As attitudes toward mental health and wellness within the Navy evolve, outright lies about seeking support persist. “Some people even think asking for help is going to affect your security clearance and that’s just not true,” Freed said.

For the FFSC, supporting sailors and their families is more than a job; it is a vocation. They know that few are better placed to make a positive impact and deploy FFSC tools effectively than the Chiefs Mess. “I’m here today because I want you to know how seriously we take our mission of supporting people,” Rich McCloud, director of fleet and family readiness programs, said in remarks. team finals during the briefing. “We have the people and we have the resources; Call us.”

For more information on FFSC programs and support, call the main phone line or go to www.navymwrwashington.com.