DOD "siloed with no single entity accountable for all substance abuse programs"

Larson investigates military substance abuse
Heller scientist contributes to report on methods to halt dependence
By Susan Chaityn Lebovits
Oct. 12, 2012

Drug and alcohol abuse has been a serious issue in the U.S. military for decades, and a surge in abuse was reported in connection with the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That prompted Congress to ask the Department of Defense (DOD) to investigate; in turn, the DOD asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to assess protocols currently in place regarding the prevention, screening and diagnosis, and treatment of substance abuse.

Mary Jo Larson Ph.D. ’92, a senior scientist at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, was one of 14 committee members who took part in a year's worth of researching and writing. The resulting report, Substance Use Disorders in the U.S. Armed Forces, was released recently and called for an emphasis on preventative measures through targeted education and early medical intervention.

Larson, who is in Heller’s Institute for Behavioral Health, is also the Principal Investigator of a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She was recruited to the committee in part due to her expertise in both the military health system and in treatment of substance use disorders. The committee included prevention, treatment, pharmacology, and health services experts from the private sector, medical schools, universities, and public policy research organizations.

“While each of us had some knowledge of specific DOD programs or how the Veterans Administration programs worked, we had to conduct substantial research on its policies and programs because the DOD does not run a transparent military health system,” said Larson. “Its programs are siloed with no single entity accountable for all substance abuse programs.”
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