[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 146 (Monday, September 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5140-S5141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 903. Mr. LEAHY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 737. FEASIBILITY STUDY ON CONDUCT OF PILOT PROGRAM ON 
                   MENTAL HEALTH READINESS OF PART-TIME MEMBERS OF 
                   THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act,

[[Page S5141]]

     the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a feasibility study 
     and cost estimate for a pilot program that uses predictive 
     analytics and screening to identify mental health risk and 
     provide early, targeted intervention for part-time members of 
     the reserve components of the Armed Forces to improve 
     readiness and mission success.
       (b) Elements.--The feasibility study conducted under 
     subsection (a) shall include elements to assess the following 
     with respect to the pilot program studied under such 
     subsection:
       (1) The anticipated improvement in quality of behavioral 
     health services for part-time members of the reserve 
     components of the Armed Forces and the impact of such 
     improvement in quality of behavioral health services on their 
     families and employers.
       (2) The anticipated impact on the culture surrounding 
     behavioral health treatment and help-seeking behavior.
       (3) The feasibility of embedding mental health 
     professionals with units that--
       (A) perform core mission sets and capabilities; and
       (B) carry out high-risk and high-demand missions.
       (4) The particular preventative mental health needs of 
     units at different states of their operational readiness 
     cycle.
       (5) The need for additional personnel of the Department of 
     Defense to implement the pilot program.
       (6) The cost of implementing the pilot program throughout 
     the reserve components of the Armed Forces.
       (7) The benefits of an integrated operational support team 
     for the Air National Guard and Army National Guard units.
       (c) Comparison to Full-time Members of Reserve 
     Components.--As part of the feasibility study conducted under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall assess the mental health 
     risk of part-time members of the reserve components of the 
     Armed Forces as compared to full-time members of the reserve 
     components of the Armed Forces.
       (d) Use of Existing Models.--In conducting the feasibility 
     study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make use of 
     existing models for preventative mental health care, to the 
     extent practicable, such as the approach developed by the 
     United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
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