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On Friday, the Defense Department signed the Brandon Act, a policy aimed at enhancing mental health care access for service members, marking the beginning of a long-awaited implementation process. Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., the agency’s undersecretary for personnel and readiness, signed the policy during a Pentagon ceremony, which will speed up mental health evaluations and create a confidential means for service members to report mental health concerns.
The act is named in honor of Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Caserta, who died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 21. His parents, Teri and Patrick Caserta, were instrumental in advocating for the act, which they believe fulfills their son’s wish to help others. Caserta’s father, Patrick, said that the policy establishes his son’s legacy of saving lives.
Brandon Caserta was serving at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia when he died. In his suicide note, he accused the Navy of fostering a toxic environment that consistently denied his requests for mental health support. Although the Brandon Act is an important step forward, Patrick Caserta acknowledges that there is more work to be done.
The act was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December 2021 as part of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. While the Defense Department is actively working on implementing the policy, it remains uncertain when it will be fully deployed across the military. The implementation will occur in two phases, with the first phase focused on establishing procedures for active-duty service members within 45 days, and the second phase targeting non-active-duty service members.
Cisneros emphasized the importance of prioritizing service members’ well-being, and the Casertas believe the policy will be crucial in addressing mental health issues within the Navy. Unlike civilians, who can access mental health care without informing their employers, military personnel must notify their superiors and wait for available appointments, a process that can take weeks.
M. David Rudd, a psychologist specializing in military and veteran suicide prevention, described the Brandon Act as a “cultural shift” necessary to reduce suicides and mental health stigma in the military. Despite the progress, Rudd noted the slow pace of system changes and the ongoing impact on countless lives. In 2021, 519 service members died by suicide, while over 456,000 active-duty service members were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder between 2016 and 2020.
Source: Department of Defense
