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TRICARE East Approved Residential Treatment for Youth

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TRICARE East Teen Mental Health Residential Treatment & Turning Winds: A Lifeline for Military Families

The Urgent Need for Teen Mental Health Support in Military Families

Resilience is a way of life for military families. Yet, even the strongest and most courageous among us sometimes need support. Especially when raising teenagers who struggle with mental health or behavioral health issues. 

Military life demands frequent moves, long deployments, and constant uncertainty. Consequently, even the most resilient military families experience overwhelming stress and invisible strains.

Not surprisingly, adapting to a new home, school, and community takes a significant toll on a fragile teen’s mental health and well-being.  In this article, we take a closer look at TRICARE East’s coverage for residential treatment. In addition to other benefits related to treating teen mental health.

Sample TRICARE and Humana Military health insurance cards for verifying teen mental health coverage.
TRICARE East makes it easy for military families to verify
mental health benefits through the Humana Military portal.

What is Tricare East?

TRICARE East is the healthcare program offered by the Department of Defense and administered by Humana Military. TRICARE East provides coverage to military families living in the eastern United States. Vital mental and behavioral health treatment is available to families of active duty, retirees, and dependents.

While TRICARE East functions like traditional health insurance and offers access to care, it is more. Officially, it is a comprehensive healthcare program. What parents need to know is that TRICARE East covers residential treatment for your teenager, in addition to other mental health and behavioral health therapies.  

A Partnership for Healing: Your TRICARE East Options

As a TRICARE-authorized provider, Turning Winds works with you to ensure your teen gets the right level of care. We are here to guide you through your options.

"It's been a tremendous blessing to partner with military families and their children throughout their healthcare journey. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be a TRICARE provider, and to serve those who serve our country."
John Baisden, JR
Turning Winds Co-Founder and CFO
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Understanding the Unique Stressors Faced by Military Teens

While all adolescents grapple with mounting pressures, military teens face more stress, resulting from the unique stressors of military life.

Long separations from deployed parents and the high levels of uncertainty caused by the frequent moves, the distance from the extended families, and other stressors typically intensify emotional strugglesand behavioral health issues. 

These pressures can significantly impact a teen’s emotional health. In fact, research shows that adolescents in military-connected families are 28% more likely to experience depression symptoms and 42% more likely to report lower life satisfaction compared to their civilian peers.[1]

These findings highlight the critical importance of providing early mental health intervention and targeted support for military teens navigating the unique pressures of military life.

The Urgent Need for Teen Mental Health Support in Military Families

35% Report Low Mental
Well-Being

44.6% Enacted Self-Harm Behaviors

92% Report Presence of Emotional Problems

31% Reported they Need Mental Health Care

Source: 2024 Military Teen Experience Survey [3]

Recognizing the unique challenges of military teens,
we are here to provide military families life-changing mental health services.

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From Crisis to Hope: A Military' Family's Story

A TRICARE East & Turning Winds Success Story

My Son's Recovery


When our son's anxiety and depression got out of control after my husband’s last deployment, I didn’t know where to turn, and I felt lost and overwhelmed. Therapy didn’t work. He began to self-medicate and had to be hospitalized twice. It felt like everything we tried failed.

Then, we were told about Turning Winds and found out they accepted TRICARE East. This was a real chance to help my son, but we had to send him to Montana. I was very uneasy about it, I couldn’t afford to travel to Montana, so we took the virtual tour, and just WOW! It looked so peaceful and clean, I just felt it in my soul that this was the answer I was seeking.

From the first phone call, the admissions team made me feel heard and supported. They worked closely with TRICARE and helped us understand everything we needed to know to make our decision. They guided us through the admissions process and after he arrived, they kept me informed and made me feel like I was part of the solution. Turning Winds helped our son rebuild his confidence, learn how to manage his emotions, and get back on track academically. He's smiling again. He's setting goals again. We have hope again, something we hadn’t felt in a long time.

We are forever grateful for the heart, patience, and true care the Turning Winds staff showed our family. They didn’t just help our son heal — they helped our whole family heal." — Sarah D., Proud Military Mom, North Carolina
Sarah D.
Proud Military Mom
Hear More Stories From Families Like Yours

Turning Winds: Nationwide Support for Military Families Seeking Teen Mental Health Care

Wherever you’re stationed, Turning Winds is here to support military families across the U.S. We know how tough it can be to move from one base to another while trying to find the right care for your teen. That’s why we offer transportation coordination to help bring your teen to our facility in Montana, making sure they receive the exceptional care they deserve, no matter where you are.

How to use TRICARE East to Pay for Turning Winds Residential Treatment for Military Teens
Tricare East Residential Treatment Coverage for Military Teens
How the pre-appoval and Enrollment at Turning Winds
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Take the First Step Toward Healing

We get it, this is an overwhelming process during a very stressful time, but you don’t have to go through it alone!  In fact, you can contact us today to get expert support, compassionate guidance, and a clear path forward.  

Together, we’ll help your teen reclaim hope, rebuild resilience, and step into the brighter future they deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

TRICARE East and TRICARE West are two regional networks within the TRICARE health care program for military families. The primary difference is the geographic coverage. 

  • TRICARE East is administered by Humana Military and covers states in the eastern and southeastern United States.

  • TRICARE West is administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance and covers states in the western United States.

While both regions offer similar mental health benefits under the TRICARE West program, the verification process and access to providers vary slightly due to differences in administrative policies and regional networks. 

Understanding which region you are enrolled in helps ensure faster benefit verification and smoother access to the right services for your teen.

Active duty families often have lower or no out-of-pocket costs through TRICARE Prime or Select. Reserve and National Guard families, covered under TRICARE Reserve Select or TAMP, may face higher cost-shares and different eligibility rules depending on their activation status. 

Understanding these distinctions is crucial for military families seeking mental health treatment for their teens. For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:

  1. National Guard and Reserve Members and Their Family Members
  2. TRICARE Mental Health Covered Services

 

Turning Winds works directly with payers like TRICARE East to verify benefits, obtain necessary authorizations, submit documentation, and handle billing—reducing the burden on families and minimizing claim denials or disputes.

Additional Resources for Military Families

Mental health and behavioral health services are available for military families on the TRICARE East website: 

Sources and References

[1] Mahar AL, Cramm H, King M, King N, Craig WM, Elgar FJ, Pickett W. A cross-sectional study of mental health and well-being among youth in military-connected families. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2023 Jun;43(6):290-298. doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.43.6.03. PMID: 37379358; PMCID: PMC10364578.  Read the full study on NCBI

[2] National Military Family Association. (2022). The Military Teen Experience Survey 2022: Findings and Insights. https://www.militaryfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Military-Teen-Experience-Survey-2022-Findings-and-Insights.pdf

[3] National Military Family Association. (2024, October 27). Through Their Eyes: 2024 Military Teen Experience Survey Results. https://www.militaryfamily.org/through-their-eyes-2024-military-teen-experience-survey-results/

Page Last Updated and Validated: 07-28-2025​