Starting July 31, 2017, Airmen undergoing their annual Periodic Health Assessment may notice something new.
A Mental Health Assessment will now be part of every annual PHA, to help ensure that Airmen suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues are referred to the necessary care.
Mental health issues are a serious problem for U.S. Armed Forces and for the Air Force. These illnesses are often not visible to others, making them difficult to diagnose and leading to unnecessary suffering. By implementing yearly screening, more Airmen in the early stages of mental illness will be identified and referred for treatment, helping them heal and improving overall medical readiness.