[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5396 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5396

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to employ additional categories of mental health 
                             professionals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2006

   Mr. Moran of Kansas (for himself and Mr. Michaud) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to employ additional categories of mental health 
                             professionals.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Mental Health Care Access 
Improvement Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO EMPLOY 
              ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

    Section 7402(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (12); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following new 
        paragraphs:
    ``(10) Marriage and Family Therapist.--To be eligible to be 
appointed to a licensed mental health counselor position, a person 
must--
            ``(A) hold a master's degree in marriage and family 
        therapy, or a comparable degree in mental health, from a 
        college or university approved by the Secretary; and
            ``(B) be licensed or certified to independently practice 
        marriage and family therapy in a State, except that the 
        Secretary may waive the requirement of licensure or 
        certification for an individual marriage and family therapist 
        for a reasonable period of time recommended by the Under 
        Secretary for Health.
    ``(11) Licensed Mental Health Counselor.--To be eligible to be 
appointed to a position as a licensed mental health counselor, a person 
must--
            ``(A) hold a master's degree in mental health counseling, 
        or a related field, from a college or university approved by 
        the Secretary; and
            ``(B) be licensed or certified to independently practice 
        mental health counseling in a State, except that the Secretary 
        may waive the requirement of licensure or certification for an 
        individual licensed mental health counselor for a reasonable 
        period of time recommended by the Under Secretary for 
        Health.''.
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