Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
CSTS | Department of Psychiatry | Uniformed Services University | 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799 | www.CSTSonline.org

Provider Guidelines for Helping
Combat Injured Families
Military families and children
reality of medical treatment…the stress of war (combat deployments,represent a heterogeneousand rehabilitation. Children are
population and live in geographicallyparticularly vulnerable and often
combat injury, illness, or death) challenges
diverse settings: on military
adults do not know how to speak tothe healthiest of families that are active
installations, in civilian urban
them about the injury, or how muchduty or in the National Guard or reserve.
and suburban communities, andand what kind of information toin rural areas across the country.
share.
While military families are generally
Many military families androbust and resilient, the stress of war (combat deployments,children will demonstrate initial distress in response tocombat injury, illness, or death) challenges the healthiest
combat injury that is likely to be temporary. However, aof families that are active duty or in the National Guard or
number of children may sustain life-changing trajectories
Reserve.
in their emotional development and their interpersonal
Combat injury is a life-changing event that impacts
relationships. Experts in military medicine and thethe service member, their children, as well as other family
traumatic effects of combat injury on families and children
members and loved ones. Parental injury disrupts a family’s
have developed the following principles of care to guide theroutines, cohesion, and sense of safety. Existing patterns ofoutreach of hospital and community-based professionals inparenting undergo change as both injured and uninjured
military and civilian settings.
parent cope with complex emotions and the complicatedPrinciples of Caring for our Nation’s Combat Injured Families and Children
As health care professionals, your role is invaluable andneeded in caring for the families of combat injured service
members. Your understanding and implementation ofthese principles of care can profoundly impact the healthand recovery of injured service members and their loved
ones. Remember, there is no such thing as a combat injured
service member — think combat injured family.
Care and services should be delivered in a manner which:■ Provides a sense of safety, comfort, information,practical assistance, and connection to appropriate
community resources that can foster the combat injured
family’s healthy recovery.
■ Is family focused to help relieve family distress,
supports parental availability and effectiveness asmuch as possible, and helps guide a parent’s efforts incommunicating with their children about the injury.
■ Reinforces a family’s natural resilience while addressing
special problems that might arise and require further
help and support.

■ Is sensitive to the unique responses as well as distress,

■

■

■

■

care, and communication needs of children of varying
ages and genders.
Is tailored to the family’s changing needs throughout
treatment and rehabilitation recognizing the family’s
unique strengths and challenges, as well as anticipating
future needs in their transitions to a new community or
new way-of-life.
Fosters the collaboration and coordination of services
between the combat injured family and health careresources and treatment — military and civilian —reaching across traditional professional boundaries andlevels of care.
Respects the family’s unique background including
culture, language, household composition (traditionalor non traditional), ethnicity, religion, and the traditionsof military families.
Helps the combat-injured family access care andContinuedaddresses any barriers to service that can complicate
the healthy recovery of its service member and theirfamily members. These barriers may include a family’s
difficulty in accessing health care or community
services or a community’s lack of awareness orunderstanding of the needs of combat injured families.

■ Is informed by knowledgeable service providers,

professionals, organizations, and communities, whichhave access to and provide quality educational materials
that address the challenges confronting combat injuredfamilies.

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
www.CSTSonline.org