Posted on Mar 29, 2018
CPT Behavioral Health Officer
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Are questions based on clinical skills? Military experience? will there be a 73A on the board? I just want to be ready. I read previous post, but most of them are warrant officer related federal recognition. Thanks
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CPT Trainer & Clinical Social Worker
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Congrats in advance on becoming a BHO! When I sat for my board, there was not a 73A, and I actually don't recall if there were any officers affiliated with AMEDD, specifically. Since I was not prior service, they asked a lot of questions about why I wanted to be in the military and what my family support was like, but we also generally discussed my clinical SKAs (skills, knowledge, and abilities). My advice would be to be prepared to speak both generally about why you want to commission as a 73A, and what skills you can bring to the position in a way non-clinicians can understand, while also being prepared to speak specifically about your direct practice skills that another provider may have knowledge about. If you acquired your independent licensure while working at the VA, then stellar. I, however, had only previously worked in civilian medical settings, and so we discussed the translatability of my work in that environment to the military setting....not sure if that helps, but best of luck to you!
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CPT Behavioral Health Officer
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Thank you for taking the time. I don’t have medical social work experience. I have been doing psychotherapy since I finish grad school. How a drill weekend looks like for a 73A?
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CPT Trainer & Clinical Social Worker
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CPT (Join to see) - My pleasure. MDAY providers don't "treat" in the Guard (or aren't technically supposed to), so you will be doing a lot of assessing/evaluating and referring out to appropriate levels of care. I would say that your psychotherapy experience will suite you well in being able to provide crisis intervention and brief therapeutic support. As well, you could highlight to the board your experience with diagnosing, which will aid you when writing profiles and making readiness recommendations.

And, as with all things in the Army, your experience during duty will be determined by the unit you are in. I have been a part of units in 2 different states, and my drill/AT experiences have been vastly different. An example of some of the tasks that you might perform include providing SRP support, performing Ch. 3 physicals, pre/post deployment assessments, crisis intervention, suicide risk assessments, substance use assessments, company-level trainings on behavioral health topics, etc.

Some resources that you might find helpful to glance at before your board include reviewing the behavioral/psychological health sections of AR 40-501, Ch. 3, which are the regs you will primarily use in making general readiness determinations; DA Form 3822, which you will complete often, and specifically when perorming Ch. 3 Physicals (which used to be called "Fit for Duty Evaluations"); and the new DOD PHA requirements, which include a mental health assessment. (There are trainings in JKO on the new DOD PHA/MHA requirements, if you're feeling really motivated.) :)

Good luck!
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CPT Behavioral Health Officer
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Thank you very much 1LT Mary F. For a very detail explanation. I guess I will be doing a lot MRW.
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