[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8147 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8147
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand an existing pilot
program, and to establish a new pilot program, related to complementary
and integrative health services for veterans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 1, 2020
Mr. Lamb (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand an existing pilot
program, and to establish a new pilot program, related to complementary
and integrative health services for veterans.
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 ``Testing, Researching, and Expanding
Alternative Treatments Act'' or the ``TREAT Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF CERTAIN COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
SERVICES.
(a) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop
a plan to expand the pilot program under section 933 of the Jason
Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act (title IX of Public Law 114-198; 38
U.S.C. 1701 note).
(b) Assessment; Elements.--The plan under subsection (a) shall
include provisions for assessing the implementation of the plan and the
effectiveness of services and programs described in subsection (f) of
that section 933, including--
(1) the use and efficacy of complementary and integrative
health services delivered through the pilot program for
addressing mental health, pain management, and treatment of
chronic illness;
(2) the outreach conducted by the Secretary to inform
veterans and community organizations of such services; and
(3) the experiences of veterans who received such services.
(c) Treatments Described.--Complementary and integrative health
treatments described in this subjection shall consist of the following:
(1) Yoga.
(2) Meditation.
(3) Acupuncture.
(4) Chiropractic care.
(5) Other treatments that show sufficient evidence of
efficacy at treating mental or physical health conditions, as
determined by the Secretary.
(d) Implementation.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall implement the plan under
subsection (a).
(e) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report
on activities carried out under this section, including--
(1) the assessment under subsection (b);
(2) implementation under subsection (d); and
(3) such recommendations regarding the furnishing of
complementary and integrative health treatments described in
subsection (c) the Secretary determines appropriate.
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS ACCESS TO COMPLEMENTARY AND
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH ANIMAL THERAPY,
AGRITHERAPY, AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS, RECREATION, AND OUTDOOR
ADVENTURE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence
the conduct of a pilot program to provide complementary and integrative
health services described in subsection (b) to eligible veterans from
the Department of Veterans Affairs or through the use of non-Department
entities for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder,
depression, anxiety, or other conditions as determined by the
Secretary.
(b) Treatments Described.--Complementary and integrative health
treatments described in this subsection shall consist of the following:
(1) Equine assisted therapy.
(2) Other animal therapy.
(3) Agritherapy.
(4) Post-traumatic growth programming.
(5) Adaptive sports, recreation, and outdoor adventure.
(c) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is eligible to participate in the
pilot program under this section if the veteran--
(1) is enrolled in the system of patient enrollment of the
Department under section 1705(a) of title 38, United States
Code; and
(2) during the two-year period preceding the initial
participation of the veteran in the pilot program--
(A) has received health care under the laws
administered by the Secretary; or
(B) has received rehabilitation and counseling
services from a Vet Center.
(d) Duration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program under this section for a three-year period beginning on
the commencement of the pilot program.
(2) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the duration of
the pilot program under this section if the Secretary, based on
the results of the interim report submitted under subsection
(f)(1), determines that it is appropriate to do so.
(e) Locations.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not fewer than
five facilities of the Department at which to carry out the
pilot program under this section.
(2) Selection criteria.--In selecting facilities under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that--
(A) the locations are in geographically diverse
areas; and
(B) not fewer than three facilities serve veterans
in rural or highly rural areas (as determined through
the use of the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas coding
system of the Department of Agriculture).
(f) Research on Effectiveness of Treatment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot
program in conjunction with academic researchers affiliated
with the Department of Veterans Affairs, including through
agreements under paragraph (2), in order for those researchers
to study the effectiveness of the treatments described in
subsection (b).
(2) Agreements.--Before commencing the pilot program, the
Secretary shall seek to enter into agreements with academic
researchers to ensure robust data collection and gathering
procedures are in place under the pilot program in order to
produce peer-reviewed journal articles.
(g) Reports.--
(1) Interim report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than one year after the
commencement of the pilot program under this section,
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a
report on the progress of the pilot program.
(B) Elements.--The report required by subparagraph
(A) shall include the following:
(i) The number of participants in the pilot
program.
(ii) The type or types of therapy offered
at each facility at which the pilot program is
being carried out.
(iii) An assessment of whether
participation by a veteran in the pilot program
resulted in any changes in clinically relevant
endpoints for the veteran with respect to the
conditions specified in subsection (a).
(iv) An assessment of effect on quality of
life and well-being of veterans participating
in the pilot program, including the results of
a satisfaction survey of the participants in
the pilot program, disaggregated by treatment
under subsection (b).
(v) An assessment of whether the pilot
program is effective in increasing the
adherence of veterans to mental health
treatment for the conditions described in
subsection (a).
(vi) The determination of the Secretary
with respect to extending the pilot program
under subsection (d)(2).
(vii) Any recommendations of the Secretary
with respect to expanding the pilot program.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 90 days after the
termination of the pilot program under this section, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House
of Representatives a final report on the pilot program.
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