The Strong Hope™ Military Program at Salt Lake Behavioral Health is a specialized mental health and substance abuse treatment program for service members, veterans and military families. We provide evidence-based treatment of PTSD, focusing on areas of combat trauma, military sexual trauma and childhood trauma. We tailor individualized treatment in the areas of addiction, dual-diagnosis, depression, anxiety and other behavioral health needs.

To support the different needs of patients, we’ve developed the Strong Hope™ Women’s Program and the Strong Hope™ Men’s Program, which are programmed differently for those specific populations. All treatment teams include male and female staff members, and the Military Professional Liaison Specialist is a combat veteran.

The treatment team brings a wealth of experience with specific knowledge of the unique challenges service members face when receiving mental health treatment. This experience also uniquely positions us to communicate effectively with all levels of the chain of command so we consider an individual’s immediate mental health needs and the larger needs of the service.

• Dedicated military unit, separate from general adult mental health population
• Dedicated female military and male military unit
• Active partnership with referring military treatment facility, behavioral health clinic, and military command for comprehensive treatment and discharge planning
• Key program staff with military backgrounds
• Comprehensive medication management in accordance with Department of Defense / Veteran’s Affairs formularies
• In-network TRICARE® and Veteran’s Community Care Provider
• Individual case management with a full-time military care coordinator
• Dedicated full-time military liaison
• 36 dedicated beds for military only
• Tenured clinical team
• Direct admissions with quick response time
• Outcome measures for tracking patient progress

Salt Lake Behavioral Health’s Strong Hope™ Military Program is proud to be part of Patriot Support Programs, which provide unparalleled treatment to active-duty service members facing a variety of behavioral health challenges.  Recognizing the unique stressors and experiences associated with military service, our facilities offer comprehensive and personalized care for issues such as PTSD, depression, substance use, and complex trauma.  Our dedicated staff, psychiatrists and therapists work closely with referring agencies and to ensure seamless communication and customized goals for active-duty personnel in our tailored programs.  For more information about Patriot Support Programs, please visit www.PatriotSupportPrograms.com.

Salt Lake Behavioral Health has developed the Strong Hope™ Military Programs referral and admission process so that there are only six steps from a military referral to admission.

1. Call 877-640-0220. All communication is through the Military Care Coordinator until the service member arrives.
2. Complete the Strong Hope™ Referral Form. Forward to the Military Care Coordinator with the following: Clinical symptom documentation (psychiatric evaluation, clinical notes, or biopsychosocial), current medication list, and medical information. Scan and email the packet to [email protected] or fax 877-558- 8846. If you are faxing clinical without an initial call, please call or email to confirm receipt.
3. Acceptance can be made within an hour of receiving written clinical unless there are significant medical complications requiring a prompt physician review.
4. Call 877-640-0220 to confirm Salt Lake Behavioral Health Military Programs have a bed reserved for the patient and ensure travel arrangements are made to the location.
5. Prior authorize admission through TRICARE®.
6. Coordinate travel arrangements with Military Care Coordinator and transport patient. Flight information (including escort contact if applicable) must be received prior to arrival to ensure ground transportation can be arranged if requested.

Sehba Singer
MA, CMHC, NCC
“Strong Hope Program Manager and Clinical Therapist
Sehba’s interests in trauma recovery began when she became involved in domestic violence counseling/advocacy and sexual assault crisis counseling. Witnessing the resiliency and hope in recovery prompted her to pursue her MA in Clinical Counseling at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. She pursued post-graduate work at the University of Michigan in Sexual Health after recognizing the need to help restore this aspect of a survivors healing process. Sehba has also completed extensive trainings in a variety of evidence-based techniques including EMDR, CPT and DBT. Sehba grew up on military installations around the globe and has always had a deep respect for the work and contributions of service members.

Tom Cooper
APRN-BC
As a former sergeant in the US army reserve, Tom served as a combat medic with a deployment to Iraq in 2008-09. He is passionate about PTSD treatment specifically in the context of serving military service members. Tom is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and completed his Doctor of Nursing from the University of Utah. He has worked in mental health for over a decade and when not providing treatment for service members, Tom enjoys martial arts, shooting and any outdoor activity.

Margaret Smith
LCSW
Maggie is a graduate of the University of Utah; she earned her Master’s degree in Social Work with an emphasis in mental health. She will focus on your natural strengths so that the interventions utilized in therapy will be in line with your goals and motivations for change. Maggie’s career has concentrated on working with survivors of trauma and substance abuse. She has engaged in additional training in these areas including being trained in EMDR. By using your innate resiliency, strengths, and talents, along with her professional support, Maggie will focus on empowering you to achieve your therapeutic goals.

Kirsten Cummings
MA, CMHC
Kirsten received her Masters in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, CA. She has experience working with both adolescents and adults in Psychodynamic therapy and further training in both CPT and EMDR, all of which she utilizes as a therapist on the Strong-Hope treatment team. With her father having served in the Vietnam War, Kirsten has long felt a connection and respect for service members and feels privileged to be working with them in trauma recovery.

Bailey Nissen
TRS-CTRS
Program Recreational Therapist – Bailey is a certified recreational therapist. She earned her degree at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota. She works with service members to help reconnect them to health, wellness and recreation. She employs team building activities, outdoor recreational activities and allows for therapeutic elements of programming to be brought to lived experiences. Her objective is to help service members learn healthy coping skills through recreational therapy and create experiential processes for folks to work through their trauma. Bailey has worked at the National Ability Center for five years as part of the recreation staff helping with programs and teaching adaptive snow skiing. She found Strong Hope through the National Ability Center programming. She works very collaboratively with the treatment team planning therapeutic outings.

Lynn Dobias
MD
Dr. Dobias completed medical school and adult psychiatry residency training at the University of Utah. During her training she chose to focus much of her clinical work with the veteran population treating a broad range of mental illness and most commonly PTSD. This work has a deeply personal meaning for Dr. Dobias as well, coming from a family of career service members in multiple branches of the armed forces. Applying her skills in the military strong hope program was a natural choice based on her experience and interests.