Description:
Battlefield Behavioral Health: The Uniformed Social Work Officer in Action examines the roles and perspectives of social work officers serving in combat environments. The book communicates the experiences, challenges, strengths, and lessons learned by these officers, exploring the evolving identity and responsibilities within military social work.
The book covers the history of uniformed social work, explores lived combat experiences, and examines the specific roles of social work officers in combat. Dedicated chapters address mental health issues, coping and self-care strategies, support systems, and the importance of relationships for behavioral health officers and their families. The text integrates the dynamics of diversity, inclusion, and systemic challenges, employing case studies and conceptual discussions to link lived experiences to broader social work practices. The approach is designed for adult learners with a background in psychiatry, social work, psychology, counseling and sociology, utilizing both historical context and contemporary developments in military behavioral health.
Battlefield Behavioral Health is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of academic disciplines and professional vocations including psychiatry, social work, psychology, counseling, behavioral health, social work practice, military social work, and ROTC programs.
Brief description: Samuel Odom, PhD, MPH, MSW, ACSW is Professor of Practice at Simmons University School of Social Work. He is also Adjunct Professor at Tulane, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, and a US Army combat veteran leader, clinician, and military social work scholar with more than 2.5 decades of professional experience in combat social work. He is a member of the International Military Social Work Consortium Work and Director of the Graduate Certificate in Military Social Work at Simmons University. Dr. Odom holds a PhD from Capella University, MPH from Louisiana State University, MSW from Southern University, and BA in philosophy from Dillard University.