[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2939 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2939

To expand and improve mental health care and reintegration programs for 
   members of the National Guard and Reserve, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2008

  Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To expand and improve mental health care and reintegration programs for 
   members of the National Guard and Reserve, and for other purposes.

    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 ``National Guard and Reserve Mental 
Health Access Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF YELLOW RIBBON REINTEGRATION PROGRAM FOR 
              MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE.

    (a) Deadline for Implementation.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
establish the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program for members of the 
National Guard and Reserve and their families required by section 582 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public 
Law 110-181; 122 Stat. 122; 10 U.S.C. 10101 note) by not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Report on Implementation of Program.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of 
        Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall submit to the 
        Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the 
        implementation of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) A description and assessment of the 
                implementation of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration 
                Program as of the date of the report.
                    (B) Such recommendations as the Under Secretary 
                considers appropriate for legislative or administration 
                action to improve the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration 
                Program.
                    (C) A description of any additional resources 
                required to assure the full implementation of the 
                Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

SEC. 3. JOINT PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall, acting 
        through the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, carry out a 
        program for the purposes as follows:
                    (A) To improve access to psychological health care 
                and services for members of the National Guard and 
                their families.
                    (B) To improve coordination among the components of 
                the Department of Defense in the provision of 
                psychological health care to members of the National 
                Guard during their transition from active duty in the 
                Armed Forces to civilian life.
                    (C) To coordinate and oversee efforts of the 
                Department of Defense to assist members of the National 
                Guard with mental illness and members of the National 
                Guard with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) post-
                deployment.
            (2) Designation of program.--The program under this section 
        shall be known as the ``Joint Psychological Health Program'' 
        (in this section referred to as the ``Program'').
    (b) Directors of Psychological Health.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the Program, the Chief of 
        the National Guard Bureau shall assign within the National 
        Guard Bureau two individuals to positions as follows:
                    (A) Director of Psychological Health of the Army 
                National Guard of the United States.
                    (B) Director of Psychological Health of the Air 
                National Guard of the United States.
            (2) Qualifications.--Each individual assigned to a position 
        under paragraph (1) shall have such qualifications and 
        expertise as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau considers 
        appropriate for such position.
            (3) Duties.--A Director of Psychological Health under 
        paragraph (1) shall carry out such duties with respect to the 
        component of the National Guard concerned as are provided by 
        law or by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
    (c) Program Elements.--
            (1) State networks of psychological health professionals.--
        The Program shall consist of a network of psychological health 
        professionals in each State and Territory, the District of 
        Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in order to carry 
        out programs and activities for the purposes of the Program.
            (2) Directors.--
                    (A) In general.--Each network of psychological 
                health professionals established pursuant to paragraph 
                (1) for a State or Territory, the District of Columbia, 
                or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall be overseen 
                and coordinated for the purposes of the Program by a 
                Director who shall be selected by the Chief of the 
                National Guard Bureau from among individuals who meet 
                such psychology licensure or certification requirements 
                as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau considers 
                appropriate.
                    (B) Contract position.--An individual selected to 
                serve as a Director under paragraph (1) shall serve as 
                a Director pursuant to a contract entered into by such 
                individual for purposes of the Program.
                    (C) Duties.--Each Director under this paragraph 
                shall have the duties as follows:
                            (i) To coordinate and oversee programs and 
                        activities under the Program in the 
                        jurisdiction concerned.
                            (ii) To work with applicable Federal, 
                        State, and community agencies to develop and 
                        implement a comprehensive plan for responding 
                        to the psychological needs of members of the 
                        National Guard and their families for the 
                        purposes of the Program.
                            (iii) To develop, coordinate, and oversee 
                        programs and activities to inform members of 
                        the National Guard and their families on how to 
                        access behavioral health services.
                            (iv) To develop, coordinate, and oversee 
                        programs and activities of education and 
                        training for leadership of the National Guard 
                        on matters relating to the psychological health 
                        of members of the National Guard.
                            (v) To develop, coordinate, and oversee 
                        programs and activities to assist members of 
                        the National Guard and their families in 
                        building psychological fitness and resilience 
                        while dispelling the stigma associated with 
                        seeking and obtaining mental health services.
                            (vi) To develop, coordinate, and oversee 
                        programs and activities to coordinate 
                        psychological care for members of the National 
                        Guard during their transition from Warrior 
                        Transitions Units (WTUs) to their local 
                        communities.
                            (vii) To improve access of members of the 
                        National Guard and their families to 
                        psychological care through coordination with 
                        appropriate State agencies and community-based 
                        behavioral health services providers.
                            (viii) To develop and implement assessments 
                        of the resource needs of community-based 
                        behavior health service providers in order to 
                        provide members of the National Guard and their 
                        families with the behavioral health services 
                        they require.
                            (ix) To coordinate with other psychological 
                        health components of and for the reserve 
                        components of the Armed Forces.
                            (x) To coordinate and oversee 
                        implementation of other Department of Defense 
                        initiatives to ensure that members of the 
                        National Guard and their families are aware of 
                        and informed about the psychological health 
                        initiatives of the Department of Defense.
                            (xi) To participate in national and 
                        regional work groups developing programs and 
                        activities to address the psychological needs 
                        of members of the National Guard and their 
                        families.
                            (xii) To conduct outreach to and education 
                        for families of members of the National Guard 
                        on recognition of mental health problems, 
                        including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 
                        and other mental health problems, in members of 
                        the National Guard.
            (3) National guard psychological health council.--
                    (A) In general.--The Chief of the National Guard 
                Bureau shall establish for the purposes of the Program 
                a council to be known as the ``National Guard 
                Psychological Health Council''.
                    (B) Membership.--The members of the National Guard 
                Psychological Health Council shall be the Directors of 
                Psychological Health assigned under subsection (b) and 
                the Directors of Psychological Health under paragraph 
                (2).
                    (C) Organization.--The National Guard Psychological 
                Health Council may carry out its duties on a national 
                or regional basis as considered appropriate by the 
                Council.
                    (D) Duties.--The National Guard Psychological 
                Health Council shall have the following duties:
                            (i) To oversee and coordinate the 
                        development of the Program and any programs and 
                        activities to be carried out under the Program.
                            (ii) To ensure consistency nationally in 
                        the programs and activities to be carried out 
                        under the Program.
                            (iii) To act as advisors to the Chief of 
                        the National Guard Bureau for all matters 
                        relating to the psychological needs of members 
                        of the National Guard and their families.
                            (iv) To ensure the dissemination of best 
                        practices in behavioral health care services to 
                        providers of behavioral health care services to 
                        members of the National Guard and their 
                        families.
                            (v) To develop uniform standards for 
                        measuring success in the provision of 
                        behavioral health care services to members of 
                        the National Guard and their families.
            (4) Collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--The National Guard Bureau and the 
                Department of Defense shall work collaboratively in 
                implementing and carrying out the Program.
                    (B) Other collaboration.--In carrying out programs 
                and activities under the Program, the Directors of 
                Psychological Health assigned under subsection (b) and 
                the Directors of Psychological Health under paragraph 
                (2) shall work with the following:
                            (i) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
                            (ii) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
                        Services Administration of the Department of 
                        Health and Human Services.
                            (iii) Appropriate State agencies, including 
                        State mental health agencies and State veterans 
                        agencies.
    (d) Territory Defined.--In this section, the term ``Territory'' has 
the meaning given that term in section 101(1) of title 32, United 
States Code.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2009 for 
operation and maintenance, $8,035,000, which shall be available for the 
Joint Psychological Health Program under this section in that fiscal 
year.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAMS ON PRE-DEPLOYMENT AND POST-DEPLOYMENT TELEMENTAL 
              HEALTH SERVICES FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND 
              RESERVE.

    (a) Pilot Programs Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs shall jointly carry out one or more pilot 
        programs on the provision of mental health services to members 
        of the National Guard and Reserve, both before and after 
        deployment, through telemental health technologies in order to 
        assess the feasability and advisability of utilizing of such 
        technologies for the provision of mental health services to 
        members of the National Guard and Reserve both before and after 
        deployment.
            (2) Discharge with respect to national guard.--Each pilot 
        program carried out under this section with respect to members 
        of the National Guard shall be carried out in consultation with 
        the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
            (3) Coordination.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out the pilot 
        programs in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental 
        Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and 
        Human Services and such other departments and agencies of the 
        Federal Government as the Secretaries consider appropriate to 
        assure quality in the provision of mental health services to 
        members of the National Guard and Reserve under the pilot 
        programs.
    (b) Program Requirements.--
            (1) Locations.--
                    (A) In general.--The pilot programs under this 
                section shall be carried out in such location or 
                locations as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
                of Veterans Affairs shall jointly select.
                    (B) Emphasis on services to members in rural 
                areas.--In selecting locations for pilot programs, the 
                Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 
                Affairs shall afford an emphasis to locations in which 
                services under the pilot programs are provided to 
                members of the National Guard and Reserve residing in a 
                rural area.
            (2) Utilization of evidence-based practices.--Each pilot 
        program under this section shall utilize telemental health 
        technologies that have proven effective in the provision of 
        mental health services to members of the Armed Forces.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to Congress 
        a report on the pilot programs carried out under this section.
            (2) Elements.--The report under paragraph (1) shall 
        including a description of each pilot program carried out under 
        this section, including--
                    (A) the types of mental health services provided;
                    (B) the types of telemental health technologies 
                utilized in providing such services;
                    (C) the number of members of the National Guard and 
                Reserve provided such services; and
                    (D) the outcomes for members of the National Guard 
                and Reserve in receiving such services.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2009 for 
operation and maintenance, $2,005,000, to carry out pilot programs 
under this section in such fiscal year.

SEC. 5. ANTI-STIGMA CAMPAIGN REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AMONG 
              MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE RETURNING FROM 
              DEPLOYMENT AND THEIR FAMILIES.

    (a) Campaign Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs shall jointly carry out a program of 
        outreach intended to reduce the stigma among members of the 
        National Guard and Reserve returning from deployment, and their 
        families, associated with seeking and obtaining mental health 
        services.
            (2) Discharge with respect to national guard.--The campaign 
        carried out under this section with respect to members of the 
        National Guard shall be carried out in consultation with the 
        Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
            (3) Coordination.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out the campaign in 
        coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
        Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services.
    (b) Elements.--In carrying out the campaign required by this 
section, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out such programs and activities (including the award of 
contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements with appropriate 
entities) as the Secretaries consider appropriate to reduce the stigma 
among members of the National Guard and Reserve returning from 
deployment, and their families, associated with seeking and obtaining 
mental health services.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for fiscal year 2009, $2,000,000, to carry out this 
section.
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