BHOP aids Team Kirtland every day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chandler Baker
  • Kirtland Public Affairs

Many Airmen believe the only resource available to help make changes to their behavior is the mental health clinic. Well, there’s a more convenient option available right in the family health clinic.

The Behavioral Health Outpatient services, or BHOP, offers behavioral health consultation to active duty, civilians, and their families at Kirtland Air Force Base. This marks the first time the BHOP clinic has been staffed in two years.

“Kirtland has the highest request for mental health care in global strike command,” said Dr. Lori Martinez, 377th Medical Operations Squadron behavioral health outpatient psychologist. “This clinic is an amazing benefit to all of Team Kirtland.”

The clinic’s main focus is to find short term solutions to behavioral health issues, such as sleeping, eating and attention span. They offer tips and tricks to try and help solving the issues that are presented to them.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’ve decided I’m truly here to help people,” said Martinez. “BHOP is supposed to be able to address anything. I’ll take on any issue in order to help someone.”

The BHOP clinic also offers help with medication management. The medication management portion of BHOP teaches patients ways to remember how to refill prescriptions as well as more information about their medications. Ms. Anna Diehl, the medication management nurse, was called out of retirement to take on the job.

“I’m not here because I have to be, I’m here because I want to be,” said Diehl. “[Dr. Martinez] and I really are here for the patients because these are the people who don’t always get help and we want to fix that.”

The clinic also supplements the mental health clinic in helping with coping mechanisms, suicide prevention techniques, and lifestyle changes. With the mental health clinic in high demand, BHOP has been invaluable to Team Kirtland.

To schedule an appointment, you can be referred by your primary care manager, or schedule yourself by calling the appointment line at 505-846-3200, and pressing option 1 for family health.