TRICARE: Help is ready when you are

  • Published
  • By Brian P. Smith
  • TriWest Healthcare Alliance
PHOENIX --  Stress is a natural part of life. Kids, spouses, parents: the combination of family, holidays, deployments and homecomings can add up and start to affect your everyday life and the lives of your loved ones. Fortunately, TRICARE counseling is ready when you are.

TriWest Online Care: Assistance 24/7
The TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP) offers a 24/7 option for private, one-to-one online counseling (chat or videoconference) that can work around your busy schedule. TRIAP counseling is available in the U.S. and is a non-medical discussion of personal life issues, like relationships and stress management. This service is confidential and non-reportable. Eligible service members and their families can use TRIAP an unlimited number of times and won't need a referral or authorization.

In the TRICARE West Region, eligible TRICARE beneficiaries start at the TriWest Online Care Portal ("Click to Chat" at www.triwest.com/onlinecare) or call the TriWest Behavioral Health Contact Center (BHCC) at 1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378) to schedule a TRIAP appointment. The Skype® videoconferencing application (a free download) is used to connect you with a licensed assistance counselor using a webcam over an Internet connection.

The counselors can help explain the program and help you access the care you need as part of your TRICARE entitlement.

More Online Resources
To help you explore topics such as depression, parenting, relationships and stress on your own, an extensive Resource Library with both clinical and practical information is available online through TriWest's Behavioral Health Portal (www.triwest.com/bh). You can also access the TriWest Online Care chat feature from this portal.

TriWest's trained professionals can help you today. Follow the "Click to Chat" link on www.triwest.com/bh to chat live, 24/7, with a BHCC representative or call 1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378) to get started.