Mental Health Awareness

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health is a critical part of a person’s overall wellness. According to the CDC, mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. Approximately 50% of the population will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime and 1 in 5 Americans are affected by mental illness each year.

During this month of awareness, we would like to spotlight this topic as it pertains to government contractor workforce members and, hopefully, alleviate common concerns about seeking care for your mental wellbeing as a federal contractor.

Destigmatizing Mental Health Care

Mental health care is a positive course of action that often mitigates security concerns. Avoiding care can increase risk and create deeper concern.

In recent years, significant strides have been made within the federal government to destigmatize seeking support. DCSA is working diligently to raise awareness that seeking mental health care and services, on its own, does not affect one’s ability to obtain or hold clearance eligibility and will not impact your national security eligibility.

The Benefits of Mental Health Care and Stress Management Strategies

Some techniques that many find beneficial include:

• Meditation and Mindfulness techniques
• Physical exercise
• Deep breathing exercises
• Yoga
• Journaling
• Positive self-talk
• Healthy eating and prioritizing sleep
• Engaging in creative activities like painting, music, writing, etc.
• Setting healthy boundaries both personally and professionally
• Seeking professional assistance

Many companies offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) or other similar programs to assist their personnel when trouble arises. Don’t be afraid to tap into these resources if you need them.

When Are Mental Health Concerns Reportable

Security Executive Agent Directive 3 (SEAD 3) states you must report any apparent or suspected mental health issues where there is reason to believe it may impact a cleared individual’s ability to protect classified or other information specifically prohibited by law from disclosure.

Examples of reportable conditions include:

• Declarations of mental incompetence by a court or administrative agency
• Court-ordered mental health care or evaluation (inpatient or outpatient)
• Hospitalizations for mental health conditions (voluntary or involuntary)
• Diagnoses of psychotic disorders, bipolar mood disorders, or certain personality disorders
• Developing a mental health condition that substantially affects judgment, reliability, or trustworthiness

Will Reporting a Mental Health Concern Affect an Individual’s Clearance?

History dictates that, in most cases, the answer is No. DCSA Adjudications looked at 5.4 million adjudicative actions taken from 2012 to 2020 and found that of 97,000 cases that dealt with psychological-related issues, only 62 were denied or revoked for psychological concerns. This equates to only 0.00115% of total adjudicative actions.

Mitigating circumstances that may ease security concerns include:

• The person’s condition is controllable with treatment and the person has demonstrated ongoing compliance with a treatment plan
• The person voluntarily enters a counseling or treatment program
• The issue was temporary and has since been resolved
• There is no indication of a current problem

Why Reporting is Critical

Looking back on some of the most devastating security incidents in our Nation’s history, mental health and psychological considerations were prevalent pre-incident indicators. In almost all cases there were indicators but, unfortunately, other people around the individual were simply afraid to report for fear the person would lose their clearance.

REPORTING CAN SAVE LIVES.

If you have any concerns about the mental health of yourself or anyone else, please seek guidance from your company’s Facility Security Officer (FSO). Report all concerns to your company’s FSO.

Resources and Additional Learning

• The Facts About Mental Health and Security Clearances
• DCSA: Mental Health Treatment Not an Automatic Disqualifier
• SAMHSA National Helpline
• SAMHSA 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• 32 CFR Part 117 (NISPOM Rule)

As always, if you have any questions, ask your FSO! Your company’s FSO is the best person to help you navigate any questions you have about security compliance, briefing, and reporting requirements.