[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2699 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2699

To improve the mental health care benefits available to members of the 
  Armed Forces, to enhance counseling available to family members of 
          members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2009

 Ms. Giffords introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
 Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve the mental health care benefits available to members of the 
  Armed Forces, to enhance counseling available to family members of 
          members of the Armed Forces, 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 ``Armed Forces Behavioral Health 
Awareness Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO SERVE IN 
              OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM OR OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM FOR 
              READJUSTMENT COUNSELING AND SERVICES THROUGH VET CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--A member of the Armed Forces, including the 
Reserve components, who is deployed in support of Operation Enduring 
Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom shall be eligible for readjustment 
counseling and related mental health services under section 1712A of 
title 38, United States Code, through the centers for readjustment 
counseling and related mental health services (commonly known as ``Vet 
Centers'') operated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under that 
section.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) Regulations.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        eligibility of a member of the Armed Forces, including the 
        Reserve components, for counseling and services under 
        subsection (a) shall be subject to such regulations as the 
        Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall jointly prescribe for purposes of this section.
            (2) Duty status.--The duty status of a member may not have 
        an effect on the eligibility of the member to receive 
        counseling and services under subsection (a).

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF 
              EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF MEMBERS 
              OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program 
to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide emotional 
support services for family members of members of the Armed Forces, 
including the Reserve components.
    (b) Award of Grants.--
            (1) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under the 
        program under this section, a nonprofit organization shall meet 
        such criteria as the Secretary shall establish for purposes of 
        the program.
            (2) Application.--A nonprofit organization seeking a grant 
        under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application 
        for the grant in such form and manner as the Secretary shall 
        specify for purposes of the program.
    (c) Grants.--
            (1) Amount.--The amount of each grant awarded to a 
        nonprofit organization under the program under this section 
        shall be such amount as the Secretary determines appropriate 
        for purposes of the program.
            (2) Duration.--The duration of each grant awarded to a 
        nonprofit organization shall be such period as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate for purposes of the program.
    (d) Use of Grant Funds.--Each nonprofit organization awarded a 
grant under the program under this section shall use amounts under the 
grant to provide emotional support services for family members of 
members of the Armed Forces, including the Reserve components, through 
certain programs as the Secretary shall specify in the grant.
    (e) Funding.--Amounts for grants under the program under this 
section shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated to 
the Department of Defense for military personnel.

SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE AWARENESS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS 
              DISORDER.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--The Secretary of the Army shall carry 
out a pilot program to enhance awareness of post-traumatic stress 
disorder among members of the Army. The Secretary shall carry out the 
pilot program in the following locations:
            (1) Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
            (2) Fort Carson, Colorado.
            (3) Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
    (b) Activities.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program, the 
        Secretary shall implement activities that--
                    (A) for a member of the Army who will be deployed 
                in support of a contingency operation, increase the 
                understanding of--
                            (i) the neurophysiological effects of 
                        stress and trauma associated with combat, 
                        including post-traumatic stress disorder; and
                            (ii) the means of eliminating or mitigating 
                        such effects after returning from combat;
                    (B) for a member of the Army deployed in support of 
                a contingency operation, reinforce the information 
                provided under subparagraph (A);
                    (C) for a member of the Army who returns from being 
                deployed in support of a contingency operation, assist 
                the member in reintegrating into noncombat life; and
                    (D) for the family of a member of the Army covered 
                under this subsection, include training and assistance 
                (including Internet-based training and assistance) at 
                each stage of deployment in order to assist the family 
                and member in recognizing and addressing post-traumatic 
                stress disorder.
            (2) Development of activities.--In developing activities 
        under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider methods to 
        address stress and trauma used by other appropriate 
        populations, including special operations forces and elite 
        athlete communities.
    (c) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program for 
a period of three years.
    (d) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
assessing the pilot program, including the effectiveness of the 
activities under subsection (b).
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