The Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN) has announced that its Psych Hub Mental Health Ally Certification, sponsored by USAA, will be officially incorporated into the Leadership Institute for Military Spouses (LIMS) program catalog. This move comes after MSAN experienced unprecedented growth in 2025 following the launch of LIMS, and aims to address critical mental health resource shortages among military families.
The certification, which is self-paced and available on-demand through LIMS, provides evidence-based training from Psych Hub, a platform offering over 1,000 digital assets including videos, shareable content, and podcasts. The program is designed to equip military spouses as trained mental health allies and first emotional responders, bridging the gap between immediate support needs and professional care availability.
Results from MSAN's 2025 cohort surveys highlight the program's impact: 83% of surveyed participants reported that challenges they faced as military spouses affected their mental health or overall wellness. However, 97% of those who completed the coursework indicated they now have tools to assist themselves or someone else during a mental health crisis, and 92% said the training taught them something new about mental health and wellness.
MSAN Founder and CEO Verenice Castillo emphasized the importance of the certification: "Military spouses are often the first line of support for their families and communities, yet access to timely mental health resources remains a critical challenge. These certifications equip military spouses to serve as trained mental health allies and first emotional responders—bridging the gap between the moment support is needed and the time professional care becomes available."
Eligibility for the program extends to spouses of current U.S. military members from any branch, including Reserves and Guard, as well as post-9/11 Gold Star Spouses, surviving spouses, caregivers, or spouses of veterans or retirees. More details and enrollment information are available at leadershipinstituteformilitaryspouses.org/mental-health-allyship.
MSAN, a 501c3 nonprofit, aims to create stronger military families through education, empowerment, and support. Its Military Spouse Mentorship HUB provides a structured peer-to-peer mentorship experience, and LIMS furthers this mission by developing leadership skills. For more on MSAN and its programs, visit militaryspouseadvocacynetwork.org. The Leadership Institute for Military Spouses is detailed at leadershipinstituteformilitaryspouses.org.
