PHAs change: New annual Mental Health Assessment requirement

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jared Duhon
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Team Dover Airmen may notice something new as they undergo their annual Periodic Health Assessment. A Mental Health Assessment will now be part of every annual PHA.

Started at the end of July, MHAs were implemented to help ensure Airmen suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues are referred to the necessary care.

“Air Force wide MHAs are new,” said Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Sturges, 436th Aerospace Medical Squadron flight medicine flight chief. “Everyone will get a medical health assessment at the same time as your PHA.”

According to Peter Holstein, Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs Office, mental health issues are a serious problem for the armed forces and 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.

"This assessment gives Airmen an annual opportunity to review their mental health with a medical provider and discuss any concerns they may have,” said Col. Steven Pflanz, the Air Force director of psychological health. “Making the process routine for everyone reduces stigma and makes it easier for Airmen suffering from mental health problems to obtain care.”

The annual MHA fulfills a requirement of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, and uses established Defense Department questions for early detection of mental health issues. The questions included in the MHA are the same ones Airmen see on their pre- and post-deployment health screenings. Completing the annual MHA can even substitute for specific post-deployment screenings.

Airmen will continue to fill out the DD Form 3024 online for their annual PHA, which already includes the mental health questions. Airmen will speak with a trained healthcare provider or licensed mental health professional to complete the person-to-person component.

“Once you complete the PHA questionnaire, it will kick off to us where we will do the records review,” said Sturges. “Then you will talk to a provider, where they will ask a few more questions; if you request more help the provider will be able to get you there. This is not full mental health assessment, it is just a screening. They will basically be asking basic questions.”
Most flight personnel will meet face-to-face, and most non-flight personnel will complete this section over the phone.

“There are no changes for flight personnel,” said Sturges. “But for non-flight personnel they will now get a phone call asking these mental health questions. This will allow members to answer the MHA questions in the member’s duty section, car, anywhere the member feels comfortable.”


Airmen who underwent a PHA in 2017, prior to July 31, do not have an additional requirement to retake it this year. Their 2018 PHA will include the MHA interview with a medical provider.
Airmen can monitor their individual medical readiness using their MyIMR page at https://imr.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx. This page also contains location specific information, instruction, office hours and phone numbers to help Airmen meet their IMR requirements.

From www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1253411/new-annual-mental-health-assessment-requirement-begins-july-31/