[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 89 (Thursday, June 4, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S3785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1616. Mr. DONNELLY (for himself and Mr. Bennet) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. 
McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for 
military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       Strike section 716 and insert the following:

     SEC. 716. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN NON-DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH 
                   CARE PROVIDERS WITH KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO 
                   TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) Mental Health Provider Readiness Designation.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall 
     develop a system by which any non-Department mental health 
     care provider that meets eligibility criteria established by 
     the Secretary of Defense relating to the knowledge described 
     in paragraph (2) receives a mental health provider readiness 
     designation from the Department of Defense.
       (2) Knowledge described.--The knowledge described in this 
     paragraph is the following:
       (A) Knowledge and understanding with respect to the culture 
     of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and family members 
     and caregivers of members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
       (B) Knowledge with respect to evidence-based treatments 
     that have been approved by the Department for the treatment 
     of mental health issues among members of the Armed Forces and 
     veterans.
       (b) Availability of Information on Designation.--
       (1) Registry.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish and 
     update as necessary a registry that is available to the 
     public of all non-Department mental health care providers 
     that are currently designated under subsection (a)(1).
       (2) Provider list.--The Secretary concerned shall update 
     all lists maintained by such Secretary of non-Department 
     mental health care providers that provide mental health care 
     under the laws administered by such Secretary by indicating 
     the providers that are currently designated under subsection 
     (a)(1).
       (3) Publication of information.--The Secretary concerned 
     shall ensure that the registry established and updated under 
     paragraph (1) is available to the public on an Internet 
     website maintained by each such Secretary.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Non-department mental health care provider defined.--
     The term ``non-Department mental health care provider''--
       (A) means a health care provider that--
       (i) specializes in mental health;
       (ii) is not a health care provider of the Department of 
     Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
       (iii) provides health care to members of the Armed Forces 
     or veterans; and
       (B) includes psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric 
     nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, marriage 
     and family therapists, and other mental health care providers 
     designated by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs.
       (2) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
     means the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters 
     concerning the Department of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs with respect to matters concerning the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs.
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