1.This Act may be cited as the
Joining Forces for Military Mental
Health Act
.
2.Pilot program on
enhancements of Department of Defense efforts on mental health in the National
Guard and Reserves through community partnerships
(a)
(1)The Secretary of Defense may carry out a pilot program to
assess the feasibility and advisability of enhancing the efforts of the
Department of Defense in research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental
health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in members
of the National Guard and Reserves, their family members, and their caregivers
through community partners described in subsection (c).
(2)The
duration of the pilot program may not exceed three years.
(b)In
carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary may award not more than five
grants to community partners described in subsection (c). Any grant so awarded
shall be awarded using a competitive and merit-based award process.
(c)A community partner described in this subsection is a
private non-profit organization or institution (or multiple organizations and
institutions) that—
(1)engages in each of
the research, treatment, education, and outreach activities described in
subsection (d); and
(2)meets such
qualifications for treatment as a community partner as the Secretary shall
establish for purposes of the pilot program.
(d)Amounts
awarded under a grant under the pilot program shall be utilized by the
community partner awarded the grant for one or more of the following:
(1)To engage in
research on the causes, development, and innovative treatment of mental health
and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury in members of the
National Guard and Reserves, their family members, and their caregivers.
(2)To provide
treatment to such members and their families for such mental health and
substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury.
(3)To identify and
disseminate evidence-based treatments of mental health and substance use
disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury described in paragraph (1).
(4)To provide
outreach and education to such members, their families and caregivers, and the
public about mental health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain
Injury described in paragraph (1).
(e)Requirement for
matching funds
(1)The
Secretary may award a grant under this section to an organization or
institution (or organizations and institutions) only if the awardee agrees to
make contributions toward the costs of activities carried out with the grant,
from non-Federal sources (whether public or private), an amount equal to not
less than $3 for each $1 of funds provided under the grant.
(2)Nature of
non-Federal contributionsContributions from non-Federal sources
for purposes of paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated.
Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized
to any significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be included in
determining the amount of contributions from non-Federal sources for such
purposes.
(f)An
organization or institution (or organizations and institutions) seeking a grant
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application therefore in
such a form and containing such information as the Secretary considers
appropriate, including the following:
(1)A
description how the activities proposed to be carried out with the grant will
help improve collaboration and coordination on research initiatives, treatment,
and education and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders and
Traumatic Brain Injury among the Armed Forces.
(2)A
description of existing efforts by the applicant to put the research described
in (d)(1) into practice.
(3)If the application
comes from multiple organizations and institutions, how the activities proposed
to be carried out with the grant would improve coordination and collaboration
among such organizations and institutions.
(4)If the applicant
proposes to provide services or treatment to members of the Armed Forces or
family members using grant amounts, reasonable assurances that such services or
treatment will be provided by a qualified provider.
(5)Plans to comply
with subsection (g).
(g)Exchange of
medical and clinical informationA community partner awarded a
grant under the pilot program shall agree to any requirements for the sharing
of medical or clinical information obtained pursuant to the grant that the
Secretary shall establish for purposes of the pilot program. The exchange of
medical or clinical information pursuant to this subsection shall comply with
applicable privacy and confidentiality laws.
(h)Dissemination of
informationThe Secretary of Defense shall share with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs information on best practices in research,
treatment, education, and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders
and Traumatic Brain Injury identified by the Secretary of Defense as a result
of the pilot program.
(i)Not
later than 180 days before the completion of the pilot program, the Secretary
of Defense shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to Congress,
a report on the pilot program. The report shall include the following:
(1)A
description of the pilot program, including the community partners awarded
grants under the pilot program, the amount of grants so awarded, and the
activities carried out using such grant amounts.
(2)A
description of any research efforts advanced using such grant amounts.
(3)The number of
members of the National Guard and Reserves provided treatment or services by
community partners using such grant amounts, and a summary of the types of
treatment and services so provided.
(4)A
description of the education and outreach activities undertaken using such
grant amounts.
(5)A
description of efforts to exchange clinical information under subsection
(g).
(6)A
description and assessment of the effectiveness and achievements of the pilot
program with respect to research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental
health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury.
(7)Such
recommendations as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate in light of
the pilot program on the utilization of organizations and institutions such as
community partners under the pilot program in efforts of the Department
described in subsection (a).
(8)A
description of the metrics used by the Secretary in making recommendations
under paragraph (7).
(j)Funds for the pilot program shall be derived from amounts
authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for Defense Health
Program and otherwise available for obligation and expenditure.
(k)In
this section, the terms family member and caregiver,
in the case of a member of the National Guard or Reserves, have the meaning
given such terms in section 1720G(d) of title 38, United States Code, with
respect to a veteran.