110 HR 3256 IH: Psychological Kevlar Act of U.S. House of Representatives 2007-07-31 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3256 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 31, 2007 Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To reduce post traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related stress disorders among military personnel, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Psychological Kevlar Act of 2007.

2.

Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to reduce the number of psychological casualties among military personnel by providing members of the Armed Forces entering combat with the training, supports, and other evidence-based measures necessary to improve their psychological resilience and reduce their susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress-related psychopathologies.

3.

Plans for reducing post traumatic stress disorder

(a)

Plan for prevention

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a plan to incorporate evidence-based preventive and early-intervention measures, practices, or procedures that reduce the likelihood that personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress disorder or other stress-related psychopathologies (including substance use conditions) into— (A)basic and pre-deployment training for enlisted members of the Armed Forces, noncommissioned officers, and officers; (B)combat theater operations; and (C)post-deployment service. (2)

Updates

The Secretary of Defense shall update the plan under paragraph (1) periodically to incorporate, as the Secretary considers appropriate, the results of relevant research, including research conducted pursuant to section 4. (b)

Research

Subject to section 4, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct and fund, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Academy of Sciences, such research as is necessary to develop the plan described in subsection (a). (c)

Outreach and education

(1)

Training program for officers

The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a training program to educate and promote understanding and awareness among commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers about the signs and risks of combat stress as well as the signs and risks of stress-related psychopathology (including substance use conditions). Training should include decision-making tools for making a referral for follow-up care. (2)

Training program for medical professionals

The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a training program to educate front-line medical professionals and primary care providers about the signs and risks of combat stress as well as the signs and risks of stress-related psychopathology (including substance use conditions). (3)

Education of members of armed forces

The Secretary of Defense shall educate members of the Armed Forces and their families to recognize signs of combat stress, provide members pre-deployment combat stress management training, and increase outreach and access to members and their families about programs and treatment options (such as individual and family therapy) that mitigate the negative impact of combat stress on the returning member.

4.

Evidence-based research and training

(a)

Working group

The Secretary of Defense shall establish, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, a working group tasked with researching and developing evidence-based measures, practices, or procedures that reduce the likelihood that personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress disorder or other stress-related psychological pathologies (including substance use conditions). The working group shall include personnel with experience in a combat theater, and behavioral health personnel who have experience providing treatment to individuals with experience in a combat theater. (b)

Peer-reviewed research program

The Secretary of Defense shall establish a new Peer-Reviewed Research program within the Defense Health Program’s research and development function to research and develop evidence-based preventive and early intervention measures, practices, or procedures that reduce the likelihood that personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress disorder or other stress-related psychopathologies (including substance use conditions). There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary thereafter. (c)

Report

The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress annually a report on the following: (1)The status of research conducted under this section. (2)The status of the plan required under section 3(a) and the expected timeline for the implementation of the plan. (3)After the plan under section 3(a) has been implemented, the status of the implementation, including measures of the plan’s impact on psychological casualty rates. (d)

Facilitation

The Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as practicable to facilitate the ability of investigators funded under this section to work with active-duty military personnel in the course of their research.