[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S5717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6192. Mr. TILLIS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe)
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 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 A of title VII, add the following:
SEC. 706. TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS: REQUIREMENTS RELATING
TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.
(a) Mental Health Examination Required.--Paragraph (5) of
section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by striking ``physical examination and a mental health
assessment'' and inserting ``comprehensive separation health
examination and a comprehensive mental health examination'';
(B) by striking ``The physical examination'' and inserting
``Such examinations''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``If
the Secretary concerned is unable to furnish the examinations
required under this subparagraph at a military medical
treatment facility, the Secretary concerned shall furnish
such examinations at a civilian facility or through the
Reserve Health Readiness Program of the Department of
Defense, or such successor program.'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``physical
examination'' and inserting ``comprehensive separation health
examination'' each place it appears;
(3) in subparagraph (C), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``physical examination'' and inserting
``comprehensive separation health examination''; and
(4) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``physical examination
and mental health assessment'' and inserting ``comprehensive
separation health examination and comprehensive mental health
examination''.
(b) Follow up Treatment.--Paragraph (6) of such section is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by striking ``medical examination'' and inserting ``a
comprehensive separation health examination or a
comprehensive mental health examination''; and
(B) by striking ``for a referral'' and all that follows
through the period at the end and inserting the following:
``that a referral for follow up treatment is recommended.'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) The Secretary concerned shall--
``(i) update the electronic health record maintained by the
Secretary concerned for a member of the armed forces to
include the results of the comprehensive separation health
examination and comprehensive mental health examination
furnished to the member pursuant to paragraph (5); and
``(ii) share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
information regarding the results specified in clause (i),
and the results of any action taken pursuant to subparagraph
(A), with respect to a member of the armed forces, to ensure
that the member may schedule any necessary appointment for
follow up mental health treatment after enrolling in the
health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs
specified in subparagraph (B)(iii), as applicable.''.
(c) Predictive Analytics.--Such section is further amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(8)(A) The Secretary concerned, in collaboration with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall develop a predictive
analytics model to be used as a suicide prevention measure
for members of the armed forces entitled to health care
benefits under this section or the laws administered by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Such model shall take into
account data from--
``(i) the comprehensive separation health examinations and
comprehensive mental health examinations furnished pursuant
to paragraph (5); and
``(ii) such other necessary data sources and variables as
may be jointly identified by the Secretary concerned and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
``(B) Following the comprehensive separation health
examination and comprehensive mental health examination of a
member of the armed forces pursuant to paragraph (5), the
Secretary concerned shall, using the model developed under
subparagraph (A)--
``(i) analyze data from the electronic health record of the
member (as updated pursuant to paragraph (6)(C)) to identify
whether the member is at a statistically elevated risk for
suicide, hospitalization, illness, or other adverse health
outcomes, and to provide preemptive care and support for the
member prior to the member having, or expressing to a
qualified mental health provider, suicidal thoughts;
``(ii) for any member so identified, indicate such
identification in the electronic health record of the member;
``(iii) ensure any member so identified is contacted to
initiate a plan for mental health care; and
``(iv) provide to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs an
analysis of the members so identified.''.
(d) Definitions.--Section 1145(e) of title 10, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Definition''
and inserting ``Definitions'';
(2) by striking ``section, the term'' and inserting the
following: ``section:
``(1) The term''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(2) The term `comprehensive separation health
examination' means a questionnaire, jointly developed and
used by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, for all body systems, to evaluate whether a
member of the armed forces may have a physical illness or
disability.
``(3) The term `comprehensive mental health examination'
means a questionnaire, jointly developed by the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and
administered by a qualified mental health provider, to
evaluate whether a member of the armed forces--
``(A) has a mental health disorder; or
``(B) is experiencing suicide ideation.
``(4) The term `qualified mental health provider' means--
``(A) a board certified or board eligible psychiatrist;
``(B) a licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree from
an accredited graduate program in psychology;
``(C) a mental health provider with a doctoral degree from
an accredited graduate program in a field relating to mental
health, acting under the general supervision of an individual
specified in subparagraph (A) or (B);
``(D) a student in an accredited graduate program in
psychiatry completing a residency, acting under the close and
direct supervision of an individual specified in subparagraph
(A) or (B); or
``(E) a student in an accredited graduate program in
clinical or counseling psychology completing a one-year
internship or residency (for the purpose of obtaining a
doctoral degree from such program), acting under the close
and direct supervision of an individual specified in
subparagraph (A) or (B).''.
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