Embedded Preventive Behavioral Health Capability (EPBHC) are civilian behavioral health professionals embedded within OPFOR and MARFORRES to provide operational commanders with subject matter expertise for planning, coordinating, and evaluating prevention efforts.
Structure
EPBHC serve as Special Staff Officers to the I MEF Commanding General, the Commanding Generals of 1st MARDIV, 3d MAW, 1st MLG, and O6-level commanders.
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I MEF Headquarters: Director, Preventive Behavioral Health and Prevention Analyst
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Major Subordinate Commands: EPBHC Analysts
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Regiments and Groups: EPBHC Specialists
Mission
EPBHC leverage public health, community-based strategies across the prevention continuum to address the dynamic interplay of risk and protective factors. They partner with commanders and leadership to assess needs, identify emerging trends, and develop integrated prevention efforts that improve readiness, increase lethality and enhance resilience for Marines, Sailors, and their families.
Core Functions
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Data Analysis Identify trends in risk and protective factors and support development of programs and controls to reduce risk across the force.
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Collaboration Coordinate with uniformed staff at all command levels to align efforts, share best practices, and integrate total fitness and behavioral health initiatives.
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Liaison Connect commands with internal and external prevention services and community resources to leverage support not organic to the command.
MCO 1700.41 - Marine Corps Embedded Preventive Behavioral Health Capability
NAVMC 1700.41 - Marine Corps Dedicated Prevention Workforce
DoDI 6400.11 - DoD Integrated Primary Prevention Policy for Prevention Workforce and Leaders
DoDI 6400.09 - DoD Policy on Integrated Primary Prevention of Self-Directed Harm and Prohibited Abuse or Harm
MARADMIN 044/20 - Unit Marine Awarness & Prevention Integrated Training (UMAPIT)
POCs:
Carissa Tourtelot, MSW
I MEF, Director, Preventive Behavioral Health
(O) 760-763-2548
Kaylani Abejar, MPH
I MEF, Embedded Preventive Behavioral Health Analyst
(O) 760-763-8109
988
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Effective 16 July 2022:
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Congress designated the number 988 as an easy to remember three-digit dialing, texting, and chat code for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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By dialing 988 and then pressing 1, callers will be connected with a counselor who understand the challenges Service Members and their loved one's face.
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The 800 number (800-273-8255, press 1) will remain available, along with the online chat option Service Members can utilize at the Veterans Crisis Line.
Lethal Means Safety
I MEF conducted a multi-year Lethal Means Safety Campaign called “Lock It Up” to increase awareness of lethal means safety and provide information on safe storage handling of lethal means, to include firearms and medications.
Lethal means safety is an evidence-based suicide prevention practice that involves securely storing a suicide method or mean (e.g., firearm, medication, asphyxiation device) to make it less available or difficult to immediately access, therefore less likely to cause harm or death. The term “lethal” is important because some methods are more harmful or destructive than others used to attempt suicide. Properly storing and practicing lethal means safety are steps you can take to help save lives. Many suicides and suicide attempts happen during a short-term crisis. These practices put distance (time and space) between someone considering suicide or self-harm, while potentially saving a life. Lethal means safety includes techniques, policies, and procedures designed to reduce access or availability to lethal means and methods of deliberate self-harm. Lethal means safety ensures that lethal means, are removed during times of increased stress when risk of suicide is heightened.
While there is a significant body of evidence supporting secure storage as an effective way to prevent intentional (e.g., suicide, domestic violence) and accidental (e.g., injury) harm and death, lethal means safety (specifically, firearm safety) continues to be a stigmatized topic and challenging to integrate into Marine Corps culture and behavior.
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Create your own storage safety plan for lethal means.
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If needed, use your support system, such as family and friends to assist with this plan and store firearms if necessary. Within this plan, you can also brainstorm other ways to protect your home with means that are not a danger to yourself or the individual at risk.
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Lastly, ask yourself, “are there other means that could be harmful to me that I need to consider? How do I plan to limit my access to those means?”
FIREARM SECURE STORAGE
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Use cable locks to prevent a firearm from being loaded and fired. Cable locks may be available at your installation, with your Embedded Preventive Behavioral Health Capability (EPBHC) Specialist, or Command Suicide Prevention Program Officer (SPPO).
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Store firearms at an installation/unit armory.
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Store firearms with local police department, gun shop, or shooting range.
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Lock up firearms and put the key in a lock box or give the key to a friend until the crisis has passed.
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Some local and state laws require weapon registration for legal storage; always follow the law in your jurisdiction.
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Firearm Suicide Prevention & Lethal Means Safety - REACH (va.gov)
MEDICATION SECURE STORAGE
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Store your medication safely.
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The benefits of proper medication storage and disposal include avoiding accidental consumption or misuse by youth and others in your household. Make sure your medicines are stored safely away from children and minimize the opportunity for misuse by locking them in a safe place.
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Dispose of medication that is no longer required or expired.
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Find a military pharmacy close to you that has a safe disposal program at https://tricare.mil/drugtakeback.
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If necessary, have a family member or an individual within your support system hand you your medication.
SECURE STORAGE RESOURCES
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Lethal Means Safety Guide for Service Members and Their Families
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Leaders Suicide Prevention Safe Messaging Guide
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Communication Guide for Military Leaders and Support Providers
If you or someone you know is experiencing crisis, including thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The lifeline provides 24-hour confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Support is also available via live online chat here: 988 Lifeline Chat and Text - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee (SPRIRC) Release Report
MCO 1720.2A - Marine Corps Suicide Prevention System (MCSPS)
NAVMC 1720.1C - Marine Corps Suicide Prevention System Procedures
MARADMIN 230/23 - The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988
Points of Contact:
Installation:
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton 24 Hour Duty Chaplain: 760-470-7077
MCAS Miramar 24 Hour Duty Chaplain: 858-864-4368
MCAGCC Twentynine Palms 24 Hour Duty Chaplain: 760-861-4739
Unit:
I MEF Chaplain: 760-725-9821
1ST MARDIV Chaplain: 760-725-8767
3D MAW Chaplain: 858-307-7368
MAG-13 Chaplain: 928-269-3454
MWSS-371 Chaplain: 928-269-3407
1ST MLG Chaplain: 760-763-9421
I MIG Chaplain: 760-763-2748
Medical:
Camp Pendleton Directory Assistance: 760-725-4111
Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton: 760-725-1288
Naval Medical Center San Diego: 619-532-6400
Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms: 760-830-2190
Branch Health Clinic Yuma: 928-269-2416
Yuma Regional Medical Center: 928-336-2000
Resources:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 988 (call & text): 988lifeline.org/chat/
DoD Suicide Prevention Office: dspo.mil
Postvention Toolkit for a Military Suicide Loss: dspo.mil
MCCS Suicide Prevention: pendleton.usmc-mccs.org/news/suicide-prevention
Lock to Live (Firearm and Medication Safe Storage Decision Aid): lock2live.org
CDC Suicide Prevention: cdc.gov/suicide/index.html
Suicide Prevention Resource Center: https://sprc.org/
Force preservation is the proactive effort to protect and sustain the health, resilience, and readiness of Marines and Sailors. It encompasses strategies that reduce risk, promote protective factors, and ensure service members are physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally prepared to meet mission demands.
Key components include:
Health and Wellness: Promoting fitness, mental health, and access to care
Risk Mitigation: Addressing issues like substance misuse, suicide, and preventable injuries
Resilience Building: Strengthening coping skills and support systems
Leadership Engagement: Empowering commanders to foster a culture of prevention and accountability
Force preservation is essential to maintaining a lethal, ready force and safeguarding the wellbeing of Marines, Sailors, and their families.
MCO 1500.60A - Force Preservation Council (FPC)
NAVMC 1500.5 - Command Individual Risk Resiliency Assessment System (CIRRAS) Functions
The OSCAR Program is for Marines, by Marines, and leverages the science on the benefits of connectedness and peer support to assist commanders and Marine leaders in keeping Marines and the unit ready. OSCAR promotes the five core leader functions: Strengthen, Mitigate, Identify, Treat, and Reintegrate.
The purpose of OSCAR is to:
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Prevent and manage stress reactions before, during, and after deployment
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Promote early identification and intervention for stress-related issues
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Reduce stigma around seeking mental health support
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Enhance unit cohesion and readiness through proactive stress control strategies
As a leadership tool, the OSCAR Program is the premier commander's strategy to influence command climate, culture, unit cohesion, and Marine Corps Total Fitness (MCTF).
OSCAR Teams are comprised of specially trained Marines (known as OSCAR Marines), Extenders (chaplains and medical staff), and Mental Health Professionals (MHP). They assist commanders and Marine leaders in preventing, identifying, and managing the impacts of stress to maintain warfighting capability. The OSCAR Program achieves this by enabling a cohesive ready force that promotes the long-term health and well-being of Marines.
OSCAR Teams educate and support Marines through regular contact, shared experiences, and trust-building—making it easier to spot and address stress reactions early. OSCAR Teams are leveraged as an existing asset, working collaboratively with leadership, the prevention workforce, and military community, using data, policy, and resources, to ensure effective implementation of the prevention system.
MCO 5351.1 - Operational Stress Control and Readiness