A long-range perspective: A qualitative evaluation of simulation training for contingency operations among interprofessional behavioral health officers over time

Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) will necessitate behavioral health professionals who can deploy interventions that can be applied by non-behavioral health professionals in a prolonged field setting, representing a fundamental shift from the service delivery in garrison. Unfortunately, this means there will be little opportunity for behavioral health professionals to gain experience prior to implementation, which can risk mission failure due to inadequate preparation. Simulation education and exercise training are hallmarks of both military and healthcare training but have been underutilized in behavioral health domains. The current study presents the results of a qualitative evaluation of a novel simulation-based training exercise for behavioral health training in a military field setting. Graduates of an interprofessional military behavioral health training program were contacted approximately 4-9 years after their engagement in this training and asked to reflect on how this training experience influenced their readiness for behavioral health care in deployed settings. Results indicated that a simulation-based training methodology can faithfully capture some of the key facets of behavioral health intervention in austere and/or deployed settings - with numerous respondents indicating fidelity in comparison to relevant real-world scenarios subsequently faced at various points following graduation. Both positive and critical feedback from participants are discussed regarding the potential further development of simulation-based training programs, as well as the necessary scalability in the context of future LSCOs.