Though times and guidance are changing, in the past, many national security workers avoided mental health treatment because of the stigma linked to counseling and psychiatric treatment. Terms like anxiety, OCD, or depression were not ones you heard in casual conversation the way they are today.
Stigma is still alive, however, and far from being only a national security problem. Removing the shame associated with mental health treatment continues to be a priority for government agencies and the private sector. Agencies like the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) have been adamant about how seeking proactive mental health treatment is actually the key step in maintaining clearance eligibility.
Counseling may be becoming mainstream, but topics like hospitalization due to suicide risk continue to cause anxiety. One cybersecurity candidate interested in a cleared career writes at ClearanceJobsBlog:
“After getting absolutely nowhere with my humanities degree I have decided to try and get into the Cybersecurity field. I have been doing lots of self-study and have completed 2 rigorous online bootcamps. Unfortunately, it seems that many jobs in this discipline require a security clearance, and I have a lengthy mental health history, including:
- a) Severe anxiety and anxiety attacks
b) OCD
c) Moderate Depression
d) When I was in college 5 years ago I had a severe panic attack and stupidly threatened suicide. My friend called the cops who took me to the ER, where I just apologized. I was let go without being “hospitalized”, but there is definitely a police report of this.Would it still be possible to receive a clearance?”
MENTAL HEALTH GUIDANCE FOR THE SF-86
The 2016 update to the SF-86 changed from asking about seeking out counseling to asking about mental health conditions or diagnosis that may cause a national security risk.
The form specifically asks:
- Have you EVER been diagnosed by a physician or other health professional (for example, a psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or nurse practitioner) with psychotic disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, bipolar mood disorder, borderline personality disorder, or antisocial personality disorder?
One background investigator comments:
“Mental health issues are not a reason for automatic disqualification. In fact, the wording of the question on the SF-86/eQIP has changed quite a bit over the years.
The investigator may ask you to fill out release forms allowing them to contact mental health providers you have seen. If you are applying for a direct hire position with an IC agency the hiring process includes a psych eval (questionnaire and interview) for all applicants.
Most agencies now make it clear that seeking mental health treatment is not a reason to lose your clearance. They don’t want to discourage people from getting help if they need it.”
Lindy Kyzer, the ClearanceJobs Director of Content and PR notes that, “Listing a hospitalization is likely to mean you won’t be able to obtain an interim clearance, but the full background investigation will consider why a hospitalization occurred – and most importantly – what actions you took following a hospitalization.”
When filling out the form, be sure to use all the comments sections to your advantage. If this incident sparked you seeking out treatment for your mental health wellness, background investigators will collect information from sources and adjudicators will likely decide in your favor – and your honesty will prove your trustworthiness.
